Requirements
All you need for using ASA2 is:
- A WordPress site
- Optional: Amazon Associates account with Amazon Creators API credentials, if you want ASA2 to load and update Amazon product data automatically. ASA2 can also be used without any Amazon API.
- Please also check the PHP requirements
PHP Version Requirements
Different features of ASA2 have different PHP version requirements:
| Feature | Minimum PHP | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ASA2 Core | 7.4 | Basic functionality |
| Creators API | 8.1 | Required for Amazon product data |
| Recommended | 8.3+ | Per WordPress recommendations |
WARNING
Creators API requires PHP 8.1 or higher. Amazon has retired the PA API, so on an older PHP version ASA2 cannot load Amazon product data at all. If your server runs PHP below 8.1, ask your hosting provider to upgrade.
For details about the PA API settings that remain on the Setup page, see Set up Amazon Associate Account.
PHP in Cron Jobs and on the Command Line
The PHP version WordPress reports under Tools → Site Health is the version your web server uses. Many hosting providers run a second, often older PHP binary for system cron jobs and WP-CLI. Because those requests never render a page in the backend, an outdated version there stays invisible — until scheduled tasks silently stop completing.
Starting with ASA2 1.34.0, ASA2 records the PHP version of every environment it runs in and warns you when one of them is below the required version. The environments are reported in the form PHP 7.4.33 in command line (system cron, WP-CLI), using these labels:
command line (system cron, WP-CLI)web server (PHP-FPM),web server (FastCGI),web server (Apache module)orweb server (LiteSpeed)built-in web server
The warning appears in two places:
- An admin notice on ASA2 admin pages, headed "Outdated PHP version detected"
- The self-test "PHP version of all environments" on the Dashboard under Plugin Status → Perform self-tests
WARNING
Updating PHP for the web server alone is not enough. Ask your hosting provider to update the PHP version used for cron jobs and the command line as well — otherwise requests through those environments keep failing with a PHP error.
After your host has updated PHP
Run the self-tests and click Fix it on the "PHP version of all environments" test. This clears the recorded environments, so a version that has already been updated no longer keeps the test red. If the test turns red again afterwards, the reported environment is still running the outdated PHP version.
An environment that has not been seen for 30 days is dropped from the check automatically. An interpreter that is no longer in use therefore stops warning by itself.
Memory Requirements
ASA2 recommends a PHP memory limit of at least 256 MB. WordPress itself recommends the same value for reliable operation, especially on sites with many active plugins.
Starting with ASA2 1.33.0, ASA2 displays a dismissible admin notice on its admin pages and on the WP dashboard whenever the effective memory_limit is below 256 MB. This is a proactive warning to prevent white-screen errors during plugin activation or on memory-intensive admin pages.
How to raise the memory limit
Add the following line to your wp-config.php:
define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');If your hosting provider caps PHP memory below this value, ask them to raise the PHP memory_limit setting. The WP_MEMORY_LIMIT define has no effect if the host caps it lower.
Where to register for the Amazon Associates program?
If you want to use the Amazon PA API, you can find more details here.
Supported Amazon PA API country stores
In this list you can find all countries that are part of the Amazon Associates program and supported by ASA2 alongside the homepages of Amazon's Associates program where you can create a new account to get access to the Amazon Product Advertisment API or activate an existing account for the respective country: