A Beginner’s Guide to Using WordPress Multisite – WPCAST014

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.

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