We recommend using PHP version 7+, though Exponent would work in PHP versions 5.4 and above. PHP 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5 & 5.6 have all reached their end of life and are no longer supported with updates and bug fixes, which is why we do not recommend them. WordPress itself recommends using PHP 7.3 or greater as you can see from its requirements here – https://wordpress.org/about/requirements/. We also recommend a Linux based server that supports Apache or Nginx, though the theme would work in Windows based servers that supports PHP & MySql.
Please ensure that your server has the following configurations. You can contact your web host who can help you modify the PHP configurations file and update the following.
POST_MAX_SIZE 32M
UPLOAD_MAX_FILESIZE 32M
MAX_EXECUTION_TIME 300
MEMORY_LIMIT 128M
post_max_size & upload_max_filesize –
These parameters have to be set at those levels to ensure the maximum file upload size limit is more than the theme zip’s file size. This way you will be able to upload the theme zip file directly from your WordPress admin area without any issues.
max_execution_time –
The default value in most hosting environments is 30. Though 30 is more than sufficient to run the theme, the import process usually is a long one where your server connects with ours and downloads all the sample content and images. Depending on your server’s resources this can anywhere between a few seconds to a few minutes, which is why recommend a limit of 300. Having a low max_execution_time can cause the server to timeout during the import process. This is one of most common issues associated with demo import. Some shared hosting providers limit this setting at a global level and do not allow you to modify the setting. In such cases just request your hosting provider for a one off limit increase just at the time of demo import.
memory_limit –
Most hosting providers have this limit at 128M these days, however some shared hosting providers do limit this. Having a low memory limit is one of the most common reasons for a slow website. This is also essential for seamless image uploads. WordPress crops images to multiple dimensions at the time of upload or during demo import. Having a low memory limit can cause issues during these processes and also other issues with the smooth functioning of your website.