Ultimate Guide to WordPress Multisite
- 1. WordPress Multisite WP Butler’s Ultimate Guide To
- 2. What is Multisite? The WordPress Codex defines Multisite as: “A feature of WordPress 3.0 and later versions that Allows multiple virtual sites to share a single WordPress installation.”
- 3. Examples of Multisite • WordPress.com hosts approximately 37 million sites • Edublogs.org hosts 4.3 million educational sites • Reuters has an entire network of sites that focus on its products and sectors • NBC uses subdomains for each TV show on their roster • New York Times uses subdomains to keep each of its individual blogs
- 4. Why Use Multisite? • One install, many sites • Single Installation • Multiple access levels for easy management • (network administrator and super administrator) • Share themes and plugins • It’s Affordable (one installation for 100s of sites) • Streamlined updates
- 5. When NOT to Use Multisite? • Creating a single blog • Sites need separate hosts, databases or IPs • Site admins need to install Plugins or Themes • As a development environment before launch • Don’t have access or confidence to modify files • Hosting doesn’t provide enough resources
- 6. Two Different Ways to Use Multisite • Using subdomains means that each site will have a url like http://site1.yournetwork.com If you’re planning to let people create their own site, you’ll need to have wildcard subdomains activated for your hosting • Using subdirectories means that each site will have a url like http://yournetwork.com/site1 You can’t choose this option on an established site that you’re converting to a network as it may cause clashes with urls already created in your site.
- 7. Install Multisite on a new Installation • Install WordPress normally • Add one line of code to wp-config.php define( 'WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true ); • Go to Tools >Network Setup - you’ll be prompted to choose subdomains or subdirectories for your installation • The final step is to copy some code provided by WordPress into your wp-config.php and .htaccess files.
- 8. Install Multisite on existing Installation • Follow the same steps as previously with one exception: you won’t be given the option to select subdomains or subdirectories. If your site has been in existence for more than a month, you’ll be forced to use subdomains.
- 9. Managing Your Network Managing your network will consist of: • Creating and managing sites • Installing and activating themes • Installing and activating plugins • Updates, Users and Settings
- 10. Managing Your Network i. Go to the network admin screens by clicking on My Sites > Network Admin in the admin menu. ii. Go to Sites > Add New iii. Enter site details: 1. Creating a Site
- 11. Managing Your Network Only the super administrator of a network can install themes and make them available for sites to use. You can do this in one of two ways: • you can allow them for individual sites, or • you can network activate them. 2. Installing Themes
- 12. Managing Your Network 2. Installing Themes i. Theme must first be installed ii. Network Enable to make available on all sites, or iii. All Sites / Edit / Themes to enable on an individual site iv. Theme must be activated via the site’s Dashboard
- 13. Managing Your Network Plugins also have to be installed by the network administrator, but they work slightly differently with regard to the sites on the network. You can’t enable a plugin for an individual site. Instead: • you can network activate it, so it runs on every site on the network, or • you can just install it, so that individual sites can choose to activate it. 3. Installing Plugins
- 14. Managing Your Network 3. Installing Plugins i. Plugin must first be installed ii. Network Activate to make activate on all sites, or iii. All Sites / Edit / Themes to enable on an individual site.
- 15. Managing Your Network • Updates are done via the Network Admin screens, and familiar • Users via the Network Admin is also very familiar • Settings is used to determine the way your network is used 4. Updates, Users and Settings
- 16. Managing a Huge Network of Sites Clearly, this cannot be done on a cheap, shared hosting plan. As your network grows you’ll need to make changes to the way you manage your data. Edublogs (4+ million accounts) uses: • 3x web-tier servers • 2x database servers • 1x file server
- 17. Free Multisite Plugins • WordPress MU Domain Mapping • User Switching • Multisite Enhancements • Multisite Plugin Stats • Organizational Message Notifier • Menus • WP Super Cache / W3Total Cache
- 18. Premium Multisite Plugins • GravityForms • Domain Mapping • Snapshot • Pro Sites • Support System • Multisite Content Copier • Global Site Search