Changes for page Why You Should Upgrade XWiki Regularly for Security and Stability

Last modified by Agnease on 2026/05/26 10:58

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From 1.4 to 1.3 From 9.2 to 9.1

From version 9.1

edited by Agnease
on 2026/05/26 10:39

Change comment: There is no comment for this version

To version 1.4

edited by Agnease
on 2026/05/12 14:47

Change comment: There is no comment for this version

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Title

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1		-Why You Should Upgrade XWiki Regularly for Security and Stability

Content

@@ -2,293 +2,292 @@
  #set ($discard = $xwiki.ssx.use('PublicWebSite.WebHome'))
  {{html clean="false"}}
--  <section class="resource-header" aria-labelledby="hero-title">
--    <div class="container">
--      <div class="text-center">
--        <div class="hero-kicker">
--          <i class="fa fa-refresh" aria-hidden="true"></i>
--          XWiki upgrade guidance
--        </div>
++  ## PAGE HEADER
++  <section class="hero hero-centered service-hero" aria-labelledby="hero-title">
++    <div class="container hero-inner">
++      <div class="hero-kicker">
++        <i class="fa fa-refresh" aria-hidden="true"></i>
++        XWiki upgrade guidance
        </div>
        <h1 id="hero-title">Why upgrading your XWiki instance should be a regular priority</h1>
--      <p class="resource-summary">
++      <p class="lead">
          A working XWiki instance can still become outdated, harder to maintain and exposed to avoidable risks
          when upgrades are postponed for too long.
        </p>
++
++      <p class="hero-support">
++        Regular upgrades help keep XWiki secure, stable, compatible and easier to evolve, especially when the platform
++        is used for internal knowledge, documentation, procedures, workflows or business-critical collaboration.
++      </p>
++
++      <div class="hero-actions">
++        <a class="btn btn-primary" href="$xwiki.getURL('services.xwiki-upgrades')">View upgrade services</a>
++        <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="#upgrade-tips">Read upgrade tips</a>
++      </div>
      </div>
    </section>
--  <section class="resource-page">
++  ## WHY IT MATTERS
++  <section aria-labelledby="why-title">
      <div class="container">
--      <div class="resource-layout">
++      <h2 id="why-title">“It still works” is not the same as “it is safe to keep unchanged”</h2>
--        <aside class="resource-sidebar" aria-label="Page summary">
--          <h4>In this guide</h4>
++      <p class="section-intro">
++        Many XWiki instances continue to run for years with only small visible problems. That can create the impression
++        that upgrades are optional. In practice, the longer an instance stays behind, the more risk accumulates around
++        security fixes, extension compatibility, infrastructure changes, custom code and future upgrade effort.
++      </p>
++
++      <div class="pathways">
++        <article class="pathway-card">
++          <div class="pathway-icon">
++            <i class="fa fa-shield" aria-hidden="true"></i>
++          </div>
++          <h3>Security fixes accumulate</h3>
++          <p>
++            Older versions may miss security-related fixes and improvements that are already available in newer releases.
++          </p>
            <ul>
--            <li><a href="#why-it-matters">Why upgrades matter</a></li>
--            <li><a href="#upgrade-checklist">Upgrade checklist</a></li>
--            <li><a href="#safe-process">Safe process</a></li>
--            <li><a href="#common-mistakes">Common mistakes</a></li>
--            <li><a href="#upgrade-rhythm">Upgrade rhythm</a></li>
--            <li><a href="#upgrade-faq">FAQ</a></li>
++            <li>Known issues may already be fixed upstream</li>
++            <li>Public information about vulnerabilities increases risk over time</li>
++            <li>Security updates are easier to handle when upgrades are regular</li>
            </ul>
--        </aside>
++        </article>
--        <article class="resource-content">
--
++        <article class="pathway-card">
++          <div class="pathway-icon">
++            <i class="fa fa-puzzle-piece" aria-hidden="true"></i>
++          </div>
++          <h3>Compatibility becomes harder</h3>
            <p>
--            Many XWiki instances continue to run for years with only small visible problems. This can create the
--            impression that upgrades are optional, especially when users can still log in, search, edit pages and
--            access the content they need.
++            Extensions, custom applications, authentication integrations and infrastructure components evolve together.
            </p>
++          <ul>
++            <li>Extensions may require newer XWiki versions</li>
++            <li>Java, Tomcat and database requirements can change</li>
++            <li>Large version jumps are harder to validate</li>
++          </ul>
++        </article>
++        <article class="pathway-card">
++          <div class="pathway-icon">
++            <i class="fa fa-line-chart" aria-hidden="true"></i>
++          </div>
++          <h3>Maintenance cost increases</h3>
            <p>
--            The real risk is that technical debt accumulates quietly. Security fixes, extension compatibility,
--            authentication behavior, infrastructure requirements and custom code assumptions continue to evolve.
--            The longer an instance remains behind, the more difficult the next upgrade becomes.
++            The longer upgrades are postponed, the more difficult it becomes to understand what changed and what may break.
            </p>
++          <ul>
++            <li>More release notes to review</li>
++            <li>More compatibility checks to perform</li>
++            <li>More risk around custom code and old assumptions</li>
++          </ul>
++        </article>
++      </div>
++    </div>
++  </section>
--          <div class="resource-note">
++  ## WHAT TO REVIEW
++  <section id="upgrade-tips" class="services" aria-labelledby="tips-title">
++    <div class="container">
++      <h2 id="tips-title">Practical tips before planning an XWiki upgrade</h2>
++
++      <p class="section-intro">
++        A good upgrade starts before the installation step. The most useful preparation is to understand the current
++        platform, identify what is business-critical and validate the upgrade outside production.
++      </p>
++
++      <div class="services-grid">
++        <article class="service">
++          <div class="service-icon" aria-hidden="true">
++            <i class="fa fa-code-fork"></i>
++          </div>
++          <div class="service-body">
++            <h4>Check your current version and target version</h4>
              <p>
--              <strong>In practice:</strong> an XWiki upgrade should review the current version, target version,
--              required intermediate steps, installed extensions, custom code, authentication setup, infrastructure,
--              backups, rollback expectations and the business-critical features that must be validated before
--              production is touched.
++              Identify the current XWiki version, the desired target version and whether intermediate upgrade steps are needed.
              </p>
            </div>
++        </article>
--          <p>
--            An XWiki upgrade is the process of moving an existing instance to a newer XWiki version while preserving
--            content, configuration, extensions, customizations, access rights and business-critical behavior. A safe
--            upgrade is not only a software installation task. It is a controlled maintenance process with preparation,
--            staging validation, production rollout and follow-up notes.
--          </p>
++        <article class="service">
++          <div class="service-icon" aria-hidden="true">
++            <i class="fa fa-puzzle-piece"></i>
++          </div>
++          <div class="service-body">
++            <h4>Review installed extensions</h4>
++            <p>
++              List installed extensions and check whether they are compatible with the target XWiki version.
++            </p>
++          </div>
++        </article>
--          <div class="resource-note">
++        <article class="service">
++          <div class="service-icon" aria-hidden="true">
++            <i class="fa fa-code"></i>
++          </div>
++          <div class="service-body">
++            <h4>Identify custom code</h4>
              <p>
--              <strong>The main point:</strong> regular upgrades are not only about new features. They reduce security
--              exposure, compatibility risk and long-term maintenance cost.
++              Review custom macros, Velocity scripts, Java components, UI extensions, sheets, templates and local changes.
              </p>
            </div>
++        </article>
--          <h2 id="why-it-matters">Why regular XWiki upgrades matter</h2>
++        <article class="service">
++          <div class="service-icon" aria-hidden="true">
++            <i class="fa fa-lock"></i>
++          </div>
++          <div class="service-body">
++            <h4>Validate authentication</h4>
++            <p>
++              LDAP, Active Directory, SSO, OIDC, SAML and MFA configurations should be tested carefully after the upgrade.
++            </p>
++          </div>
++        </article>
--          <h3>1. Security fixes accumulate over time</h3>
--          <p>
--            Older versions may miss security-related fixes already available in newer releases. Once security issues
--            become publicly known, running an old version can become a more predictable risk.
--          </p>
++        <article class="service">
++          <div class="service-icon" aria-hidden="true">
++            <i class="fa fa-database"></i>
++          </div>
++          <div class="service-body">
++            <h4>Prepare backups and a staging clone</h4>
++            <p>
++              Never treat production as the first test. Validate the upgrade on staging or a temporary clone first.
++            </p>
++          </div>
++        </article>
--          <p>
--            This does not mean every old instance is immediately exposed in the same way. The real impact depends on
--            your configuration, installed extensions, access model, authentication setup and whether the instance is
--            public or private. But staying close to supported versions makes security maintenance more manageable.
--          </p>
++        <article class="service">
++          <div class="service-icon" aria-hidden="true">
++            <i class="fa fa-check-square-o"></i>
++          </div>
++          <div class="service-body">
++            <h4>Create a validation checklist</h4>
++            <p>
++              Test login, permissions, search, dashboards, PDFs, custom applications, jobs, important pages and integrations.
++            </p>
++          </div>
++        </article>
++      </div>
++    </div>
++  </section>
--          <p>
--            For a broader view of security-related checks, see
--            <a href="$xwiki.getURL('resources.xwiki-security-review')">what an XWiki security review should actually include</a>.
--          </p>
++  ## SAFE PROCESS
++  <section class="split-section" aria-labelledby="process-title">
++    <div class="container">
++      <div class="split-grid">
++        <div class="split-copy">
++          <h2 id="process-title">The safest upgrade is the one rehearsed before production</h2>
--          <h3>2. Large upgrade gaps are harder to control</h3>
            <p>
--            A small, regular upgrade is usually easier to validate than a large jump after several years. Large gaps
--            mean more release notes, more compatibility changes, more extension checks and more uncertainty around
--            custom code.
++            A production upgrade should not be the first time the process is tested. A staging environment or temporary
++            clone allows problems to be discovered before they affect users.
            </p>
--          <h3>3. Extensions and customizations can become fragile</h3>
            <p>
--            XWiki instances often include installed extensions, custom Velocity scripts, macros, templates, sheets,
--            UI extensions, Java components or business-specific applications. These elements need to be reviewed when
--            planning an upgrade.
++            This is especially important when the instance includes custom applications, authentication integrations,
++            PDF exports, workflows, advanced permissions or business-critical documentation.
            </p>
++        </div>
--          <p>
--            For more details on organizing custom work, see
--            <a href="$xwiki.getURL('resources.xwiki-custom-development')">how to keep XWiki custom development maintainable across upgrades</a>.
--          </p>
++        <ol class="process-list">
++          <li>
++            <strong>Prepare a staging clone</strong>
++            Copy the relevant database, filesystem and configuration into a controlled non-production environment.
++          </li>
++          <li>
++            <strong>Run the upgrade there first</strong>
++            Apply the upgrade, resolve compatibility issues and record the steps required.
++          </li>
++          <li>
++            <strong>Validate business-critical features</strong>
++            Confirm that authentication, rights, search, exports, custom apps and important workflows still work.
++          </li>
++          <li>
++            <strong>Plan the production window</strong>
++            Define backup, downtime, rollback and communication expectations before touching production.
++          </li>
++          <li>
++            <strong>Document the result</strong>
++            Keep upgrade notes, observed issues and follow-up recommendations for the next maintenance cycle.
++          </li>
++        </ol>
++      </div>
++    </div>
++  </section>
--          <h3>4. Infrastructure requirements evolve</h3>
--          <p>
--            XWiki upgrades can involve more than the application itself. Java, Tomcat, the database, Docker images,
--            reverse proxy configuration, PDF export services and authentication integrations may also need attention.
--          </p>
++  ## COMMON MISTAKES
++  <section aria-labelledby="mistakes-title">
++    <div class="container">
++      <h2 id="mistakes-title">Common mistakes to avoid</h2>
--          <h3>5. Business-critical features need validation</h3>
--          <p>
--            A successful upgrade is not only one where the server starts. Users usually depend on login, permissions,
--            search, dashboards, PDF exports, workflows, notifications, custom applications and important pages. These
--            should be part of the validation plan.
--          </p>
++      <p class="section-intro">
++        Most difficult upgrades are not difficult because XWiki cannot be upgraded. They become difficult because
++        the environment, customizations or validation steps were not understood early enough.
++      </p>
--          <h2 id="upgrade-checklist">XWiki upgrade planning checklist</h2>
--
++      <div class="widgets">
++        <article class="widget">
++          <div class="icon" aria-hidden="true">
++            <i class="fa fa-warning"></i>
++            <h4>Upgrading<br />directly in production</h4>
++          </div>
            <p>
--            A practical XWiki upgrade plan should cover both the application and the environment around it.
--            The following checklist can be used as a starting point before upgrading a production instance.
++            Production should not be the first place where compatibility issues are discovered.
            </p>
++        </article>
--          <ul class="resource-checklist">
--            <li>Identify the current XWiki version and the target version.</li>
--            <li>Check whether intermediate upgrade steps are needed.</li>
--            <li>List installed extensions and verify compatibility with the target version.</li>
--            <li>Identify custom code: Velocity scripts, macros, sheets, templates, UI extensions and Java components.</li>
--            <li>Review authentication: LDAP, Active Directory, SSO, OIDC, SAML or MFA.</li>
--            <li>Prepare a staging environment or temporary clone of production.</li>
--            <li>Validate backups and clarify rollback expectations.</li>
--            <li>Test important pages, dashboards, permissions, search, jobs, exports and custom workflows.</li>
--            <li>Document the steps, issues found and follow-up recommendations.</li>
--          </ul>
--
--          <h2 id="safe-process">A safer upgrade process</h2>
--
++        <article class="widget">
++          <div class="icon" aria-hidden="true">
++            <i class="fa fa-puzzle-piece"></i>
++            <h4>Ignoring<br />extensions</h4>
++          </div>
            <p>
--            Production should not be the first place where the upgrade is tested. The safest approach is to rehearse
--            the upgrade on staging or a temporary clone, resolve compatibility issues there, then perform the production
--            upgrade with a clear plan.
++            Extensions and custom code often create the real upgrade complexity.
            </p>
++        </article>
--          <ol>
--            <li><strong>Prepare a clone:</strong> copy the relevant database, filesystem and configuration.</li>
--            <li><strong>Run the upgrade outside production:</strong> record the steps and issues found.</li>
--            <li><strong>Validate critical features:</strong> login, rights, search, PDFs, workflows, dashboards and integrations.</li>
--            <li><strong>Plan the production window:</strong> backups, downtime, rollback and communication.</li>
--            <li><strong>Document the result:</strong> keep notes for the next upgrade cycle.</li>
--          </ol>
--
--          <h2 id="common-mistakes">Common mistakes to avoid</h2>
--
--          <ul>
--            <li><strong>Upgrading directly in production.</strong> Compatibility issues should be discovered before users are affected.</li>
--            <li><strong>Checking only public pages.</strong> Authentication, restricted spaces and admin features also need validation.</li>
--            <li><strong>Ignoring custom code.</strong> Custom scripts and extensions often create the real upgrade complexity.</li>
--            <li><strong>Skipping backup validation.</strong> A backup is useful only if restore expectations are understood.</li>
--            <li><strong>Keeping no upgrade notes.</strong> Without notes, the next maintenance cycle starts again from uncertainty.</li>
--          </ul>
--
--          <h2 id="upgrade-rhythm">How often should XWiki be upgraded?</h2>
--
++        <article class="widget">
++          <div class="icon" aria-hidden="true">
++            <i class="fa fa-lock"></i>
++            <h4>Testing only<br />public pages</h4>
++          </div>
            <p>
--            For many organizations, a practical rhythm is to stay aligned with the current Long Term Support version
--            and plan upgrades regularly rather than waiting for a major problem. Some environments can upgrade more
--            frequently, while heavily customized instances may require more planning.
++            Login, permissions, restricted spaces and admin features should also be validated.
            </p>
++        </article>
++        <article class="widget">
++          <div class="icon" aria-hidden="true">
++            <i class="fa fa-file-text-o"></i>
++            <h4>No upgrade<br />notes</h4>
++          </div>
            <p>
--            The important part is not only the exact frequency. It is having an upgrade process that is repeatable:
--            review, staging validation, production rollout, documentation and follow-up.
++            Without notes, every future upgrade starts again from uncertainty.
            </p>
++        </article>
++      </div>
++    </div>
++  </section>
--          <h2 id="upgrade-faq">XWiki upgrade FAQ</h2>
++  ## CTA
++  <section class="cta-section" aria-labelledby="cta-title">
++    <div class="container">
++      <div class="cta-panel">
++        <h2 id="cta-title">Need help planning an XWiki upgrade?</h2>
--          <h3>Why should XWiki be upgraded regularly?</h3>
--          <p>
--            XWiki should be upgraded regularly to reduce security exposure, keep extensions compatible, avoid large
--            upgrade gaps and make long-term maintenance easier. Regular upgrades are easier to plan and validate than
--            major jumps after several years.
--          </p>
++        <p>
++          If your XWiki instance is outdated, customized or business-critical, the safest next step is to review
++          the current version, extensions, infrastructure and validation needs before planning the production upgrade.
++        </p>
--          <h3>Is a working XWiki instance safe to leave unchanged?</h3>
--          <p>
--            Not necessarily. An XWiki instance can continue to work from a user perspective while becoming outdated,
--            harder to upgrade and exposed to avoidable risks. Visible functionality is not the same as long-term
--            maintainability.
--          </p>
--
--          <h3>What should be checked before upgrading XWiki?</h3>
--          <p>
--            Before upgrading XWiki, review the current version, target version, intermediate upgrade steps, installed
--            extensions, custom code, authentication setup, infrastructure, backups, rollback expectations and
--            business-critical features.
--          </p>
--
--          <h3>Should an XWiki upgrade be tested outside production?</h3>
--          <p>
--            Yes. The safest approach is to rehearse the upgrade on a staging environment or temporary clone, fix
--            compatibility issues there, then perform the production upgrade with a clear plan and rollback expectations.
--          </p>
--
--          <h3>What makes an XWiki upgrade difficult?</h3>
--          <p>
--            XWiki upgrades become more difficult when the version gap is large, extensions are outdated, custom code is
--            undocumented, authentication is complex, infrastructure dependencies changed or critical workflows were not
--            included in the validation plan.
--          </p>
--
--          <div class="resource-note">
--            <p>
--              Related resources:
--              <a href="$xwiki.getURL('resources.xwiki-security-review')">what an XWiki security review should actually include</a>
--              and
--              <a href="$xwiki.getURL('resources.xwiki-custom-development')">how to keep XWiki custom development maintainable across upgrades</a>.
--            </p>
--          </div>
--
--          <div class="resource-cta">
--            <h3>Need help planning an XWiki upgrade?</h3>
--            <p>
--              If your XWiki instance is outdated, customized or business-critical, the safest next step is to review
--              the current version, extensions, infrastructure and validation needs before planning the production upgrade.
--            </p>
--            <a class="btn btn-primary" href="$xwiki.getURL('contact.WebHome')">Request an upgrade review</a>
--          </div>
--
--        </article>
++        <a class="btn btn-primary" href="$xwiki.getURL('services.xwiki-upgrades')">View XWiki upgrade services</a>
        </div>
      </div>
    </section>
--  <script type="application/ld+json">
--  {
--    "@context": "https://schema.org",
--    "@type": "FAQPage",
--    "mainEntity": [
--      {
--        "@type": "Question",
--        "name": "Why should XWiki be upgraded regularly?",
--        "acceptedAnswer": {
--          "@type": "Answer",
--          "text": "XWiki should be upgraded regularly to reduce security exposure, keep extensions compatible, avoid large upgrade gaps and make long-term maintenance easier. Regular upgrades are easier to plan and validate than major jumps after several years."
--        }
--      },
--      {
--        "@type": "Question",
--        "name": "Is a working XWiki instance safe to leave unchanged?",
--        "acceptedAnswer": {
--          "@type": "Answer",
--          "text": "Not necessarily. An XWiki instance can continue to work from a user perspective while becoming outdated, harder to upgrade and exposed to avoidable risks. Visible functionality is not the same as long-term maintainability."
--        }
--      },
--      {
--        "@type": "Question",
--        "name": "What should be checked before upgrading XWiki?",
--        "acceptedAnswer": {
--          "@type": "Answer",
--          "text": "Before upgrading XWiki, review the current version, target version, intermediate upgrade steps, installed extensions, custom code, authentication setup, infrastructure, backups, rollback expectations and business-critical features."
--        }
--      },
--      {
--        "@type": "Question",
--        "name": "Should an XWiki upgrade be tested outside production?",
--        "acceptedAnswer": {
--          "@type": "Answer",
--          "text": "Yes. The safest approach is to rehearse the upgrade on a staging environment or temporary clone, fix compatibility issues there, then perform the production upgrade with a clear plan and rollback expectations."
--        }
--      },
--      {
--        "@type": "Question",
--        "name": "What makes an XWiki upgrade difficult?",
--        "acceptedAnswer": {
--          "@type": "Answer",
--          "text": "XWiki upgrades become more difficult when the version gap is large, extensions are outdated, custom code is undocumented, authentication is complex, infrastructure dependencies changed or critical workflows were not included in the validation plan."
--        }
--      }
--    ]
--  }
--  </script>
--
  {{/html}}
  {{/velocity}}

Agnease.Code.SEODetailsClass[0]

metaDescription

...	...	@@ -1,1 +1,0 @@
1		-Learn why regular XWiki upgrades matter for security, stability, extension compatibility and long-term maintenance, especially for production XWiki instances.

metaTitle

...	...	@@ -1,1 +1,0 @@
1		-Why You Should Upgrade XWiki Regularly for Security and Stability \| Agnease