Tracks every plugin update, activation, and WordPress core change as a timestamped event — then correlates them against your PHP error log to show exactly what triggered each error, and when.
When a site breaks after an update, the first question is always "what changed?" This module answers it directly. It tracks every plugin update, plugin activation and deactivation, WordPress core update, and theme change as a timestamped snapshot. When PHP errors appear in the error log, it calculates a correlation score between each error and the most likely change that caused it — using the error's file path to trace it directly back to the updated plugin's folder. The result is a single interactive timeline where you can see exactly what happened, in what order, and which event most likely triggered the problem.
Change events and PHP error frequency are plotted together on a single interactive SVG timeline. Hover any data point to see full details — plugin name, version, timestamp, and the type of change. The visual overlap between changes and error spikes makes the correlation immediately obvious, without reading through log files or database records.
Every error-to-change pairing receives a numeric confidence score. Scores of 80–99 indicate file-path matching: the PHP error originates inside the updated plugin's own folder — strong, direct evidence. Lower scores reflect temporal proximity: the error appeared within a few hours of the change, with no direct file connection. This distinction tells you whether a correlation is a confirmed cause or a suspect worth investigating.
Every error card in the Error Log module has a "What Changed?" button. Clicking it opens the correlation panel inline — without leaving the error log page. You can see the confidence score, the change event details, and the reasoning behind the correlation, then return to your error list without losing context. No need to switch between modules manually.
Each change event includes the plugin name, the version before and after the change, and the exact timestamp captured at the moment of the change. A chronological event log shows all tracked activity in a sortable table. The module also includes an Error Onset Analysis section that identifies when a particular error first appeared relative to tracked changes.
Tracking begins the moment you take your first snapshot. The Snapshot Now button captures the current state of all active plugins and their versions. WordPress automatically triggers a new snapshot when plugins are updated or the WordPress core version changes. After snapshotting, the page refreshes to show the updated timeline — no manual reload needed.
The correlation engine reads the PHP error log and the change event history — it never writes to either. It does not modify plugin files, clear logs, or change any WordPress option. The only write it performs is saving the change event snapshot itself (the list of active plugins and versions at a point in time), which is stored in a WordPress option.
Each error-to-change pairing is scored from 0 to 99. Scores of 80–99 are given when the PHP error's file path is inside the updated plugin's own folder — this is a direct, strong signal. Lower scores are given when the timing is suggestive (the error appeared within a few hours of the change) but there's no direct file-path connection. The score tells you how confident to be in the correlation before acting on it.
It tracks plugin updates (version changes), plugin activations and deactivations, WordPress core version changes, and theme changes. It does not track file edits, database record changes, or content edits — only structural changes to what's installed and running on the site.
The module begins tracking from the moment you take your first Snapshot Now. There is no historical data before that point. We recommend taking a snapshot immediately after installing the plugin, and before any planned updates, so you have a clean baseline to compare against.
WordPress's built-in update history only tells you that an update happened — not whether it caused any problems. What Changed? actively correlates change events with your PHP error log, scores the likelihood that a given change caused a given error, and surfaces that connection visually on the timeline. It answers "which one caused this?" rather than just "what was updated?"
Yes — the full What Changed? module including the SVG timeline, confidence scores, and the inline correlation panel is available in both Lite and Pro at no cost.
What Changed? is included free in both Lite and Pro — start tracking changes in minutes.
What Changed? is fully available in the free Lite version — install it and take your first snapshot immediately.
Pro adds Pre-Update Impact Analysis — analyze a plugin's blast radius before updating, not just after something breaks.
