WordPress And Old Browser Support Decisions

Modern WordPress sites face a decision about old browser support. Internet Explorer is dead; modern browsers update automatically; but some users still run older versions for various reasons.

The level of support deserves explicit thinking rather than default assumptions.

The cost of broad support

Modern CSS features may not work. CSS Grid, custom properties, advanced selectors require fallbacks for old browsers.

Modern JavaScript features may not work. Async/await, modules, optional chaining need transpilation or polyfills.

Testing overhead. Each supported browser is a test target.

The benefit of broad support

Users on old browsers get a functional experience. The audience isn't excluded.

For sites where the user base genuinely uses old browsers, broad support is appropriate.

The data-driven decision

Check analytics for actual browser usage. The data shows what visitors actually use.

If a browser version represents under 1% of traffic, supporting it specifically may not be worth the development cost.

If a browser version represents 5%+, the support matters for the audience.

The graceful degradation

Build for modern browsers. Provide a basic experience for older browsers that doesn't break but doesn't have all features.

The user on the old browser sees a functional site without the latest enhancements. The user on the modern browser sees the full experience.

The honest framing

Old browser support is increasingly less of a concern. Modern browsers represent the majority of traffic on most sites.

The decision should match actual audience data. Don't support browsers that nobody uses; do support browsers that significant audiences use.