In WordPress, you have the ability to create a network of sites using the multisite feature. In new versions of the system at the beginning of the installation it asks you if you want to activate the multisite feature and in this case it is easy - you decide whether or not you want to create a network of sites according to the requirements of your project, but sometimes in the process of work the project needs to change and the need to use the capabilities of this feature arises.
In what cases might we need to use the multisite feature? For example, when we want to create an e-shop in several languages, and our products need to be offered in several currencies, we don't want to load the system with multiple plugins, and at the same time we want all the details to be translated into the respective language. In this case I think it is better to use the multisite feature and create the required number of sites according to the number of languages we plan to use. They will share a common domain and a common network installation and at the same time virtually for each language will have a separate installation of the site in a separate subdirectory, their addresses will look like this:
Main domain name - mysite.com; /lang/ domain name: mysite.com/en/; mysite.com/fr/; mysite.com/de/ etc. depending on the number of languages.
Of course for this purpose can be used and subdomains, but in my opinion the option with subdirectories is more flexible, more transparent and more successful from an optimization point of view, actually depends on the goals of the network we are creating.
What should we do to enable multisite in an existing installation? We need to follow the next few steps according to the WordPress codex:
Edit wp-config.php file:
Be sure to make a copy of wp-config.php and .htaccess which are located in the main directory of your site and store them somewhere on your hard drive.
Open the wp-config.php file with your text editor /Notepad++ or other/ and add the following line before the line /* That's all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */:
/* Multisite */
define( 'WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true );
should look like this:
Save the changes to wp-config.php and copy it to the main directory of the site replacing the old wp-config.php.
Network installation:
With the changes we made in the previous step, we added a Network Setup submenu to the Tools menu. In the screen that opens we choose what the addresses of the sites on our network should be - whether they should be subdomains or subdirectories.
Network details - are filled in automatically, but changes can be made.
Address of server - The URL domain you use to access your WordPress installation for example mysite.com;
Network Title/network name/ - write down the name you have chosen, usually the name of the main site;
Admin email - email the administrator.
Enable the network - to start the network you need to make changes in wp-config.php and .htaccess, according to the instructions that will be given to you on the next screen:
Make a backup of the existing wp-config.php and .htaccess files;
Open wp-config.php and copy the following lines immediately after the line you added earlier and before /* That's all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */:
define('MULTISITE', true);
define('SUBDOMAIN_INSTALL', false);
define('DOMAIN_CURRENT_SITE', 'wpsingle.net');
define('PATH_CURRENT_SITE', '/');
define('SITE_ID_CURRENT_SITE', 1);
define('BLOG_ID_CURRENT_SITE', 1);
where wpsingle.net is the name of your domain - the data is an example, copy the exact instructions from the screen that comes up!
Save the edited wp-config.php.
Open the .htaccess file / or create a new one / with the text editor you have and replace the instructions / lines in it / with the instructions you are given on the screen which look like this:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
# add a trailing slash to /wp-admin
RewriteRule ^([_0-9a-zA-Z-]+/)?wp-admin$ $1wp-admin/ [R=301,L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -f [OR]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -d
RewriteRule ^ - [L]
RewriteRule ^([_0-9a-zA-Z-]+/)?(wp-(content|admin|includes).*) $2 [L]
RewriteRule ^([_0-9a-zA-Z-]+/)?(.*\.php)$ $2 [L]
RewriteRule . index.php [L]
The above data is an example, copy the exact instructions from the screen that came up!
Save the edited .htaccess file
Replace the existing wp-config.php and .htaccess files with the edited ones in the site's main directory. You now have a multisite network installed.
Once you have done these steps, log back into the administration panel of the site /more network/. You may need to clear your browser cache and cookies to log in.
In the admin dashboard on the top left you now have a My Sites menu with a Network Admin submenu and a list of installed sites. From Network Admin you have access to the network administration dashboard - create/duplicate new sites, add-remove themes, extensions, etc.
You're ready, you've already configured a network multisite WordPress installation.