Building Web Apps with WordPress

Chapter 13. Building WordPress Multisite Networks

With the release of WordPress version 3.0 came WordPress Multisite. WordPress Multisite was known as WordPress Multiuser or WPMU prior to v3.0 because it was a separate open source project. Since WordPress and WPMU share most of the same code, it made sense to roll it all into one project. Multisite gives WordPress administrators the ability to create their own network with multiple sites. All of the sites on a Multisite network share the same database and the same source files. When Multisite is set up, new tables are created in the database for each new website created on the network.

Why Multisite?

If you are running more than one install of WordPress, you should consider using Multisite. Some of the benefits include:

• Logging into one network and making any changes you need to any of your WordPress sites with one administrator account.
• Making updates to WordPress and installed plugins and/or themes one time in one place instead of multiple websites.
• Managing all of the users on your network in one location.
• Easily deploying a new website with a few clicks.
• If you are using a theme framework for all of the sites on your network, you could make updates to all of your themes at the same time utilizing an available hook in your theme.

Setting Up a Multisite Network

Although setting up Multisite is not as easy as enabling it in a WordPress setting, it is fairly straightforward. The first thing you should do if you are not setting ...