Upgrading your MODX Revolution website

Please note: I have shifted my focus to Python/ Linux/ embedded development and am no longer accepting MODX or PHP projects. For MODX work, I recommend Grey Sky Media.

If your site has a recent enough version of MODX Revolution, it is easy to perform upgrades yourself.

I strongly recommend that you subscribe to MODX security notices by email to get notified of the most important upgrades. 

Step 1: Backup your website

Don't skip this step! An upgrade that goes wrong can break your website. By taking the backups below, you can restore them yourself through the control panel. 

Log in to your hosting control panel and search for "Backup Wizard". Use the wizard to take the following backups:

  • a Home Directory Backup
  • a MySQL Database Backup (if you are not sure which database your site runs on, backup each of the databases listed)

Step 2: Login to the MODX manager

You should have received an email from me with the URL, username, and password to log in to your website manager. The URL usually ends with "manager".

Step 3: Use the Upgrade MODX button

On your manager dashboard, you should see an "Upgrade MODX" widget if your site is out of date:

Click the button and follow the prompts, accepting all of the default options.

Step 4: Upgrade Extras

Log back in to the MODX manager, then go to Extras --> Installer in the top menu:

Upgrade any extras that show an upgrade button, following the prompts:

 

Step 5: Test your website thoroughly!

Check out all of the public pages on your website, paying extra attention to any dynamic features your site has.

Here are some examples of elements to test (most of which may not be present on your site):

  1. all forms, such as contact, quote, comment, login, registration, forgot password, update account info, etc...
  2. galleries, sliders, animations
  3. blogs
  4. video players
  5. sitemap
  6. RSS feed

If something went wrong...

Upgrades can break your site for two common reasons:

  • A bug was accidentally released in the latest version of MODX or a MODX Extra
  • Custom code on your website is incompatible with an API change in the latest version of MODX or a MODX Extra

Restore the backup you took using the http://host.websitezen.com/cpanel. Search for "Backup Wizard" and use it to restore the following backups:

  • the Home Directory Backup you took in step 1
  • the MySQL Database Backup you took in step 1 (if you are not sure which database your site runs on, restore each of the databases you backed up).

Then contact a MODX developer to help troubleshoot the upgrade. 

See also