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A Beginner’s Guide to Using WordPress Multisite – WPCAST014

September 10, 2014

In this episode, we discuss the pros and cons of WordPress multisite, and when it’s better to use multisite or stay with separate installations.

http://media.blubrry.com/wpcast/p/s3.amazonaws.com/wpcast/WPCAST014.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:12 — 22.2MB)

The Changelog

  • David considering hiring part-time QA and support guy
  • Joel Spolsky’s blog: Top Five (Wrong) Reasons You Don’t Have Testers
    • 1 tester for every 2 developers
  • Thanks for the 5 star reviews! CapeDave, Woodenski, Phil Derksen

The Core

  • Multisite is a single install of WordPress – one database, one copy of every theme and plugin
  • History – separate codebase until WordPress 3.0, used to be called WordPress MU

Pros of Multisite

  • User login is shared – same username and password
  • Less work to manage many sites – one install to secure, upgrades only done once
  • Installing themes and plugins are available on all sites
  • Can restrict the plugins available on sub-sites with the Multisite Plugin Manager plugin
  • Cloning sites can be easy with the NS Cloner plugin

Cons of Multisite

  • More vulnerable – if a Network Admin account is compromised, all sites are accessible
  • Higher learning curve
  • Potential plugin incompatibilities
  • More difficult to set up – configuration, wildcard subdomain DNS, domain mapping
  • Recommended: WordPress MU Domain Mapping plugin
  • If you edit a theme/plugin file, it affects all sites on the network using that theme/plugin
  • Migrating single sites in and out of multisite is a pain (contact us if interested in the SOP)
  • Only network admins can install themes and plugins
  • Hosting issues
    • You need a host with good resources (forget about shared hosting)
    • Multisite might not be supported, or requires you to purchase a higher priced plan
    • Recommended: Flywheel

When Should You Use Multisite?

  • Lots of sites (i.e. 10+)
  • You typically use a lot of the same themes and plugins
  • You really know what you’re doing
  • Specific examples – niche sites, web agency that caters to smaller sites

When Should You Not Use Multisite?

  • Just a couple of sites, using noticeably different themes and plugins
  • Customer sites that need major customization or high level access (database, FTP, etc)
  • When you need 100+ plugins between all the sites
  • If you don’t have the infrastructure to support it
  • Different sites for marketing site and blog

Tips & Tricks

  • Balsamiq for fast wireframing
  • F.lux automatically dims your screen at night to make it easier on your eyes
http://media.blubrry.com/wpcast/p/s3.amazonaws.com/wpcast/WPCAST014.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:12 — 22.2MB)

Thanks for listening! If you liked this episode, please leave us a review in iTunes.

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Related Posts:

  • Behind the Scenes of PodWP – WPCAST009
  • An Expert’s Guide to WordPress Migration – WPCAST020
  • Pricing WordPress Products – WPCAST015
  • The No-BS Guide To Choosing A WordPress Host – WPCAST019
  • Pain-Free GitHub to WP Deployment Using WP Pusher – WPCAST044

Filed Under: Podcast • Tagged With: domain mapping, flywheel, multisite

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