Every module and theme in RefBytes keeps a history of its versions, and every site chooses which version to run. That one idea makes updates simple: updating a module on a site is just picking a newer version from a list.
Seeing what a site is running
Open a site and click Modules or Themes on the left. The Installed tab shows the version each item is currently running. When a newer version exists, an amber Update Available badge appears next to it, so you can spot outdated items at a glance.
Updating to a newer version
Each installed item has an Available Versions list, newest first. Choose the newer version and the update starts on your site right away, running in the background just like a fresh install. There is no separate update button and no files to move around.
Some updates also need a step in Omeka: when a new version has to update the database, Omeka shows an Upgrade button next to it on its Modules page (Plugins on Omeka Classic). Click it to finish.
Before a big update, it is worth taking a quick backup so you can wind things back if the new version misbehaves. Manual backups only take a moment.
Rolling back
The list works in both directions. If a new version causes trouble, pick the previous version from the same list and your site goes back to it.
Different sites, different versions
Because each site picks its own version, your sites do not have to move in lockstep. A common pattern:
- Keep a test site alongside your real one. Copying a site is an easy way to make one.
- Update the module on the test site first and click around to make sure everything still works.
- Once you are happy, update your real site the same way.
Where versions come from
For items from the built-in catalog, we keep versions in sync with the official omeka.org directory and the developers' GitHub releases, so new releases show up on their own, usually within a day.
For your own uploads, every zip you upload adds a new version to the module or theme, once it is approved. The details are in uploading your own modules and themes.
One last thing: this page is about module and theme versions. Updating Omeka itself is a separate, equally painless process, covered in upgrading your platform.