What is WordPress Multisite?
WordPress multisite is a WordPress feature that allows you to create and manage a network of multiple websites from a single WordPress installation.
With multisite enabled, you can create, manage, and update multiple websites without having to install WordPress separately for each site. This can be particularly useful for enterprise organizations who want to maintain multiple websites or blogs with a centralized administration.
In a WordPress multisite network, each individual site operates as a separate entity with its own themes, plugins, and users. However, the core WordPress files, as well as certain plugins and themes, are shared across the network. This allows for efficient management of resources and easier updates, as changes made to the core files or network-wide plugins/themes are applied to all sites in the network.
What is the difference between a multisite instance and single sites?
With a WordPress multisite instance, all websites in the network share the same database and codebase, so each site can map to a different subdirectory or domain. Instead of making the same update across multiple domains manually, account administrators can use WordPress multisite to make changes across the entire network at once.
In contrast, multiple WordPress single sites each have a unique codebase and database, which means updates must be made individually.
Who should use WordPress multisite?
WordPress multisite is ideal for organizations with:
- Multiple sites managed by the same people
- Multiple sites that share themes or plugins
- Split responsibilities for a site by directory structure
- Audiences in multiple languages
- Websites with complex directories
WordPress multisite advantages
- Easy website management: Instead of separate logins for each individual site, a multisite setup allows organizations to access and manage an unlimited number of sites within a single WordPress instance.
- Access level control: WordPress multisite gives administrators complete, holistic control over access levels for every single team member, on a per-site or per-network basis.
- Shared GitHub code repository: Deploying security patches and updates to code, themes, and plug-ins is streamlined on a multisite network because modifications need to be made only once.
- Optimized resources and productivity: Versus maintaining single sites, multisite networks can reduce site hosting costs and other overhead while helping content creators and developers spend less time publishing content and making updates.
WordPress multisite disadvantages
- Complex setup: Multisite requires migrating all sites into a central hub, potentially a time-consuming and resource-intensive process.
- Security risks: With a shared network, security and data breaches to one site can potentially threaten the safety of other domains.
- Plugin incompatibility: Some WordPress plugins and themes may not work within a multisite environment.
- Hosting: Not all site hosting providers support multisite.
WordPress multisite and WordPress VIP
With easy website management, complete access level control, robust security, optimized workflows and resources, WordPress VIP is an ideal option for WordPress multisite setups and complex environments.
Built on a solid enterprise-grade foundation, WordPress VIP is the agile content platform that helps content teams move both faster and smarter to drive more growth, reduce development resources, and deliver better customer experiences with the world’s most popular CMS.