> It's common sense / best practice to have a second server to test updates on, that's what I do. Given I only have 12 plugins with a handful on active on each

> It's common sense / best practice to have a second server to test updates on, that's what I do. Given I only have 12 plugins with a handful on active on each site, it doesn't take too long. I also add and develop plugins on the second server. WP specifically makes this non-trivial, because post and db data has hardcoded path info in it. Export/import a database? You have to make changes to it. For something that is 10 years old... an import/export system that acknowledges the reality of plugins and separation of data would be nice. SSL? When you're running wordpress, and you think "I want everything to be SSL"... you look for a plugin. I wouldn't and don't, but this particular system was something I inherited. 20+ plugins in WP systems seems to be something I run in to far more often than the "expert dev/ops guy who knows about SQL and can handwrite in 5 plugins what takes 15 by normal folks" systems. I think you're in the minority when it comes to being able to be 'good' with wordpress. As I was suggesting before, part of the appeal in wordpress is there's a low common denominator. Someone who came across your WP code that used custom tables, (instead of throwing EVERYTHING in to either wp_options or post_meta)... they'd be lost. Honestly. Really. I see it quite often. People writing plugins and themes and selling WP solutions not having the foggiest idea how to write or use SQL. "Square makes it so easy, hosted secure and has tools for inventory and other things, too. All included in standard credit card processing fees." This particular client was sold on "you can customize everything in woo/wp". There were a number of technical things they wanted to do which Square and others do not do, and they'd already tried with other hosted solutions as well (3dcart, for certain, and maybe another). What we inherited (and what I normally get in most projects that get referred) is an undocumented mess of stuff that is not in version control of any sort, a mishmash of various versions of libraries, etc. CAN you build 'decent' code in WP? Without a doubt, it's possible, but the defaults still go against commonly accepted dev practices. The more configs go in databases ("wp_options for everything by default"), the harder migrating between various environments is (I can't just pull code, for example, because db configs are required for everything to run correctly). That's not insurmountable, but you're working in an environment where these common tools and practices are a) not provided and b) not-understandable or accessible by the majority of the developers in that community.