WordPress, WordPress Multisite, and WordPress Multisite Network
What is WordPress?
Chances are that you know that WordPress is a free open-source CMS (content management system) connected to a MySQL database. It can easily change designs using a template system called themes and it can extend functionality via plugin software which can be added as needed.
Each individual site in the image has its own code base (installation), database, and user base. They all are separate entities.
What is WordPress Multisite?
The difference with a regular WordPress install is that multisite install allows us to manage multiple WordPress instances within the same installation. That is useful when we need to manage multiple websites which are similar in nature while maintaining one code base. All sites use the same database (usually) and they also share the users across the sites. We have the option to give users access only to some or all sites as needed.
A use case would be if you are serving multiple clients which have an online car sales inventory. You could use the same theme or different once if you like and you use same or different plugins from the same pool of plugins installed in the multisite. This gives you the flexibility to use any theme or plugin installed in the main network site because they are available in the individual network sub-sites.
What is WordPress Multisite Network?
WordPress multisite network is a collection of multisites organized into logical groups. Similar to WordPress multisite, the multisite network has a main network site which then has one or more sub-multisites. Any theme or plugin installed in the main network site can be given access to the individual multisites in the network and then to individual sites in the multisite. That allows for flexibility of having different multisite configurations using different themes and plugins as desired. The possibilities are limitless as you can combine websites with the same domain and different directories as myrentals.com, myrentals.com/house, myrentals.com/apartments, myrentals.com/office and so on. Or you could have even different domains as myhouserentals.com, myapartmentrentals.com, myofficerentals.com. Another possibility is using sub-domains as house.myrentals.com, apartment.myrentals.com, and office.myrentals.com, and any combination in between.
A use case would be a an umbrella organization which manages its different organizations. The organizations can then have different branches with their own websites and locations.
All users would be available to all the organizations and branches which makes the managements and communication easier from one central location. The organizational managers and admins can have access to different website features to manage their respective organizational processes and communication. Each individual website in this network can have the users shared or restricted access to it as needed.
CTA - Call To Action If you want to discuss your WordPress Business Website project needs, fill out this form and schedule a call so we can go over your requirements to see if we are good fit for the project. In case you are a one-man operation and you would like to go through this process of building your WordPress Business Website properly, consider joining my Winning WordPress Websites Weekend Workshop (coming up soon as it is in the prep-phase and will start in a second half of November 2022).
