WordpressUpdate

Unfortunately - the default ubuntu install is a bit too broken to allow for an automated update in general.

Small updates

Can be done through with a bit of care using a script that temporarily changes the file permissions:

1. log in as admin.
2. navigate to the 'update' page. Do not press it yet.
3. run the script /usr/local/bin/wpup with 'sudo'
4. when the prompt appears -- press the update link in the browser
5. wait for the process to complete.
6. press return in the terminal to complete the process.

Large updates

The manual update process for simple releases is as follows:

0) Read the rel notes https://codex.wordpress.org/Version_VERSION (substitute the right version number for VERSION)

1) Consider making a backup of the database:

   umask 077
   mysqldump  --single-transaction --quick --lock-tables=false wordpress > ~/wordpress-pre-VERSION.sql

2) Fetch a recent copy from https://wordpress.org/download/releases, check, unpacked and _rename_ it:

Warning - do not do this in /usr/share - as it unpacks in wordpress rather than something version number namespaced.

   curl -O https://wordpress.org/wordpress-VERSION.tar.gz 
   openssl sha1 wordpress-VERSION.tar.gz 
   tar zxf wordpress-VERSION.tar.gz 
   sudo mv wordpress /usr/share/wordpress-VERSION

3) Get some permission sanity

   cd /usr/share
   sudo chgrp -R www-data wordpressVERSION
   sudo chmod -R o-rwx wordpress-VERSION

4) Take risk (after scanning the release notes) and copy the old config across

   sudo cp wordpress-4.9.7/wp-config.php wordpress-4.9.8

And link it in

   ln -s /usr/share/wordpress-VERSION /usr/share/wordpress

5) Test cursory and declared victory. Then let the mailing list know and ask people to be on the alert for issues.