What is the Network Setup Function in WordPress?
Network Setup in WordPress provides the functionality to create and manage multiple websites from a single installation. This is useful for organizations such as universities, large corporations, and media companies.
To enable Network Setup, the wp-config.php file must be modified. Add the following line:
define('WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true);This line should be placed above:
/* That's all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */
After making this change, the Network Setup option will appear under the Tools menu in the WordPress admin dashboard. Users can choose between subdomains (e.g., site1.example.com) and subdirectories (e.g., example.com/site1) for the network structure.
Real-world Examples and Market Statistics
Several high-traffic websites utilize WordPress Multisite to manage their web presence. WordPress.com hosts millions of blogs and websites under a single installation.
The New York Times employs WordPress Multisite to manage individual columns and sections. Best Buy uses this feature to manage websites for each of its over 1,000 stores.
WordPress currently powers 43.4% of all websites globally. Over 474 million sites used the platform as of May 2024. In the CMS market, WordPress holds a 62.8% share.
The platform’s popularity is indicated by the fact that it is searched for around 2.7 million times a month.
Technical Challenges and Limitations
While WordPress Multisite offers valuable features, it is not without its challenges. One cannot create a network if the WordPress address uses a port number other than ‘:80’ or ‘:443’.
Similarly, the URL must not contain a path other than a domain. If the existing WordPress installation is more than a month old, one cannot choose a sub-directory install due to potential permalink issues.
To summarize user behavior on the platform, WordPress users publish 70 million new posts and receive 77 million comments each month. Security is a critical aspect, with over 4 million sites using WordFence for protection.
Despite these measures, WordPress sites are attacked approximately every 22 minutes, making robust security indispensable.
Plugins and Themes in WordPress Multisite
WordPress Multisite supports a wide collection of plugins and themes. There are over 70,000 plugins and 30,000 themes available for use. Popular themes include Hello Elementor, Divi, and Astra. Popular plugins include Yoast SEO and Slider Revolution.
It is essential to note that while WordPress Multisite offers extensive customization options, users must consider compatibility and performance issues that may arise from using multiple plugins and themes.
Regular monitoring and updating of these plugins and themes are necessary to ensure the smooth operation of a Multisite network.