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payload comparison: wordpress multisite vs individual install
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payload comparison: wordpress multisite vs individual install

mehargagsmehargags Member
edited December 2014 in Help

Hi all,

I was just trying to read up but googleing payload comparison: wordpress multisite vs individual install just gives random guides and not in-Depth information precisely on the PAYLOAD in terms of SQL performance, and overall site responsiveness. I talk this in Multi-Domain mapped context.

I'm offering Wordpress hosting to some of my customers, low (100 Visits/day) to medium (1500 visits/day). I was thinking if I can "group" 4-5 sites and host them on a 1GB KVM, which will be cost effective. Moreover, recent wordpress malicious outbreaks make it mandatory to maintain updates and monitoring, both of which will presumably be easier.

Pls pour in some thoughts..if it would be wise and sane to go this route, considering the hosted domains are completely separate from independent customers.

Thanks alot.... and wish you all a very Happy & Blessed New Year 2015...!

Poll for Wordpress multisite vs. single install
  1. Administrative & Payload Benefits5 votes
    1. Multi-site Wordpress for independent domains
      20.00%
    2. Single Wordpress for individual domains
      80.00%

Comments

  • AbdussamadAbdussamad Member
    edited December 2014

    The number of SQL queries is not going to increase significantly.

    Benefits:

    • You can cache the entire wordpress code base in RAM using APC or some other opcode cache. You can't do with multiple installations because caches are keyed by file paths.

    • Administration is easier. You have one codebase to maintain. One copy of a plugin or theme becomes available to all your users.

    • You can quickly add more sites. The doc root is the same so adding another site is simpler.

    • Users on one site can login to all other sites.

    Downsides:

    • Converting single site installations into multisite takes some doing. You have to move database tables around. It's not easy for complicated sites.

    • One copy of a plugin or theme becomes available to all your users :)

    • All the sites share a single database. A security breach in one site is going to affect all the sites in your network.

    • Users on one site can login to all other sites.

    I would advise against a multisite installation. The benefits are not worth it. Nowadays wordpress has auto updates and you can use wpcli to quickly do other administrative tasks. The administrative benefits aren't that great.

    Thanked by 1mpkossen
  • @Abdussamad Thanks for the insight... feels good to discuss before stepping big! Waiting for more to suggest !

  • @mehargags, I've actually been in the same situation as you. When I ran several sites I found multisite to be much, much easier to maintain. Plus you can give your users admin rights to their sites while you still have super admin rights. It's a nice setup, I found.

    Now I run very few WordPress sites so I just handle a few installs separately.

    Also, @Abdussamad has excellent points and sums things up nicely. My suggestion would be if you manage fewer than 10 sites, keep them separate; more than that, use multisite.

  • Oh, and just to add: migrating an existing, single site to a multisite install can be painful. I typically use WordPress's export/import XML feature instead of moving database tables, but the XML way doesn't move everything. Users will still need to reset their passwords, some custom code/settings may not carry over, etc.

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