My WordCamp San Diego 2012 presentati

1. WordPress Multisite
Brad Williams
@williamsba

2. Who Am I?
Brad Williams
Co-Founder of WebDevStudios.com
Co-Organizer WordCamp Philly
& Philly WordPress Meetup
Co-Author of Professional WordPress
(http://bit.ly/pro-wp)
& Professional WordPress Plugin Development
(http://amzn.to/plugindevbook)
Slides available at: http://www.slideshare.net/williamsba

3. Bootcamp Brad circa ‘99 @ MCRD

4. Topics
 What is Multisite?
 Enabling and Configuring Multisite
 Multisite Network Admin
 Working with Users in a Network
 Understanding Plugins and Themes
 Recommended Plugins
 Examples of Multisite Networks
 Multisite Resources

5. What is Multisite?

6. What is Multisite?
WordPress Multisite enables
you to create multiple
WordPress websites with a
single install of WordPress

7. Advantages to using Multisite
• Create unlimited sites in a single install of
WordPress
• Share themes, plugins, and users
• Upgrade once upgrade everything
• Run as subdomains, subdirectories, or top-
level domains

8. Advantages to using Multisite
Two important resources to read prior to enabling and
configuring Multisite:
http://codex.wordpress.org/Before_You_Create_A_Network
http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network

9. Types of Networks
Domain Based
•example.com
•brad.example.com
•zombies.example.com
Path Based
•example.com
•example.com/brad
•example.com/zombies

10. Types of Networks
with Domain Mapping
Domain Based
•example.com
•brad.com (mapped)
•zombies.example.com
Path Based
•example.com
•brad.com (mapped)
•example.com/zombies

11. Enabling and Configuring Multisite
Step 1: Add the below code to wp-config.php:
define('WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true);

12. Enabling and Configuring Multisite
Step 1: Tools > Network Setup is now available
http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network

13. Enabling and Configuring Multisite
Plugins MUST be disabled to configure Multisite
http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network

14. Enabling and Configuring Multisite
Plugins MUST be disabled to configure Multisite
http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network

15. Enabling and Configuring Multisite
Q: Why am I forced to use subdomains on older
WordPress installs?
A: Sites older than 30-days will see this
warning. The reason is subfolders in Multisite
could conflict with page URLs that already exist.
Also /blog is added to the main website’s blog
permalink structure, which could cause existing
blog posts to 404
http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network

16. Enabling and Configuring Multisite
http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network

17. Enabling and Configuring Multisite
Step 2: Create a blogs.dir directory at /wp-content/blogs.dir
http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network

18. Enabling and Configuring Multisite
Step 3: Add the code provided to your wp-config.php file
This code may be different depending on your Multisite configuration
http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network

19. Enabling and Configuring Multisite
Step 4: Add the code provided to your .htaccess file
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index.php$ - [L]
# uploaded files
RewriteRule ^files/(.+) wp-includes/ms-files.php?file=$1 [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -f [OR]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -d
RewriteRule ^ - [L]
RewriteRule . index.php [L]
Replace the default WordPress .htaccess rules
http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network

20. Enabling and Configuring Multisite
Step 5: Refresh and Pray!
WordPress will force you to
login again
http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network

21. Enabling and Configuring Multisite
New Network Menu will appear in your WordPress Admin bar
Hovering will show Network Admin and all sites in the network
you are a member of
http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network

22. Enabling and Configuring Multisite
http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network

23. Multisite Network Admin
Administration section for network sites and settings
Located at http://example.com/wp-admin/network/

24. Multisite Network Admin
Sites menu allows you to view, modify, and create new sites in your network
Located at http://example.com/wp-admin/network/

25. Multisite Network Admin
To create a new site visit Sites > Add New
If using subdomains you need to verify the subdomain is setup on your host to
point to the root directory for WordPress.
If your host allows DNS Wildcard A records you can assign *.example.com to point
to WordPress, so all new sites will work automatically.

26. Working with Users in a Network
Multisite adds a new user role: SUPER ADMIN!

27. Working with Users in a Network
Super Admins Can:
•Manage Network
•Manage Sites
•Manage Network Users
•Manage Network Themes and Plugins
•Manage Network Options
TL;DR: Super Admins can do everything!
http://codex.wordpress.org/Roles_and_Capabilities

28. Working with Users in a Network
Edit any user and enable the Super Admin option

29. Understanding Themes in a Network
Themes must be Network Enabled for use in your Multisite network

30. Understanding Themes in a Network
If a theme is not Network Enabled the theme will not be
available to use on sites in your network
Site Administrators can NOT install themes in a Multisite network by default

31. Understanding Plugins in a Network
Plugins can be Network Enabled for use in your Multisite network
Or
Plugins can be selectively enabled per site in your network

32. Understanding Plugins in a Network
By default the Plugins menu is hidden to Site Admins
To enable the Plugins menu visit Settings in the Network
Admin and check “Enable administration menus”
Site Administrators can NOT install themes in a Multisite network by default

33. Multisite Isn’t Scary, Right?!

34. Multisite Examples
Site: Baja.com

35. Multisite Examples
Site: Baja.com
Each site in the network is a “region” of Baja California

36. Multisite Examples
Site: Baja.com
Each site features its own content related to that region
All content is
aggregated to
Baja.com

37. Multisite Examples
Site: AwayToGarden.com
Two sites in her Multisite Network
AwaytoGarden.com
AwayToGarden.com/book

38. Recommended Multisite Plugins
Domain Mapping
• Map a top-level domain
(example.com) to any site
in your network
• Allow site admins control
over mapped domains
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wordpress-mu-domain-mapping/

39. Recommended Multisite Plugins
Sitewide Tags
• Creates a /tags site in your
network
• All posts created on your
site are copied to the /tags
site
• Makes aggregating content
in Multisite very easy!
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wordpress-mu-sitewide-tags/

40. Recommended Multisite Plugins
New Blog Defaults
• Set defaults used for all
new sites created in your
network
• Can delete default content
like Hello World post,
comment, etc
• Can auto-add users to all
new sites created by ID
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wpmu-new-blog-defaults/

41. Recommended Multisite Plugins
WP Multisite Replicator
• Duplicates a site to a new
site in your network
• Copies widgets, theme,
and plugin settings
• Copies all content
http://wpebooks.com/replicator/

42. Recommended Multisite Plugins
Networks+
• Can create a network of
networks
• Nested subdomains and
top-level domains with
their own child sites
http://wpebooks.com/networks/

43. Recommended Multisite Plugins
WP Multisite Replicator
http://wpebooks.com/networks/

44. Multisite Resources
 Official Resources
› WordPress Core!
› http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network
› http://wordpress.org/support/forum/multisite
› http://codex.wordpress.org/Debugging_a_WordPress_Network
› http://codex.wordpress.org/Migrating_Multiple_Blogs_into_Word
Press_3.0_Multisite
 Multisite Websites & Articles
› http://wpebooks.com/
› http://wpcandy.com/presents/an-introduction-to-wordpress-
multisite
› http://wpmututorials.com/
› http://wpmu.org/

45. Contact
Brad Williams
brad@webdevstudios.com
Blog: strangework.com
Twitter: @williamsba
IRC: WDS-Brad
http://www.slideshare.net/williamsba

46. Win a copy of Professional WordPress Plugin Development!
Tweet: @williamsba WordPress Multisite is NOT scary! #wcsd