Description
Tandem PHP Upgrade Gatekeeper is an update policy and readiness tool for sites preparing a PHP bump.
Most PHP-compatibility plugins ask you to run a full-site scan and read a report. Tandem PHP Upgrade Gatekeeper’s primary job is different:
- Set a target PHP version (the version you plan to move to)
- Choose an upgrade gate policy — Warn (default), Soft-block (opt-in), or Off
- See a readiness inventory of installed plugins and themes
- Get a contextual warning when an update looks at-risk for that target
- If Soft-block is enabled, pause that update until you click Allow next update (nonce-protected, 30 minutes)
It does not replace staging tests, host PHP tools, or developer-grade PHPCS / PHPCompatibility suites. Heuristics are local guidance only.
What Tandem PHP Upgrade Gatekeeper intentionally is not
- Not a Tide / remote scan service
- Not a “Run scan giant report” competitor to modern delta scanners
- Not a guarantee that production PHP upgrades will succeed
Defaults that respect the admin experience
- Gate mode defaults to Warn (updates still succeed; notice only)
- Soft-block is opt-in
- Theme gating defaults off
- WordPress core updates are never gated
Analysis is local (no remote calls, no shell exec). Encoded / non-analyzable packages are marked Unknown. Always verify on staging before changing production PHP.
Privacy Policy
Tandem PHP Upgrade Gatekeeper does not collect, transmit, or sell personal data. It does not phone home. It only reads local plugin/theme PHP files on the site to produce readiness heuristics and update notices. No external service is contacted by this plugin.
Screenshots
Installation
- Upload the
tandem-php-upgrade-gatekeeperfolder to/wp-content/plugins/tandem-php-upgrade-gatekeeper, or install the zip via Plugins Add New Upload. - Activate through the Plugins screen.
- Open Tools Tandem PHP Upgrade Gatekeeper.
- Set target PHP and keep Warn until you understand readiness results.
FAQ
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Is this another PHP Compatibility Checker / scanner?
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No. Tide-style checkers and newer delta scanners focus on Run scan report. Tandem PHP Upgrade Gatekeeper focuses on target PHP policy + update-time guidance + readiness over time. Refreshing the readiness inventory supports that policy; it is not the product hero.
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How is this different from BrightLeaf or similar scanners?
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Those tools optimize deep / delta scanning and badges. Tandem PHP Upgrade Gatekeeper optimizes the admin decision at update time while you prepare a PHP upgrade. If you only want a one-shot lint report, use a scanner. If you want update policy + readiness tracking, use Tandem PHP Upgrade Gatekeeper.
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Does it phone home or send plugin code off-site?
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No. All analysis runs on your server. No accounts, no SaaS, no Tide.
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Will it block WordPress core updates?
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No. Core updates are never gated.
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Does Soft-block hijack my site?
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Soft-block is off by default. Warn mode only shows notices. Soft-block only applies when you enable it, only to plugin (and optional theme) updates that look at-risk, and always includes an in-plugin Allow next update escape hatch.
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How do I override a soft-block?
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Open Tools Tandem PHP Upgrade Gatekeeper, click Allow next update on the package, then retry the update (valid for 30 minutes). Or switch gate mode back to Warn / Off.
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Is this legal / hosting compliance advice?
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No. It is heuristic technical guidance for site admins. Follow your host’s PHP upgrade process and test on staging.
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Contributors & Developers
“Tandem PHP Upgrade Gatekeeper” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Contributors
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Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Changelog
1.0.0
- Target PHP policy, readiness inventory (plugins + themes)
- Warn (default) / soft-block (opt-in) / off gate on updates
- Theme gating off by default; core updates never gated
- Nonce-protected Allow next update
- Post-update delta re-check
- Encoded packages unknown; local heuristics only (no exec, no remote)