If you want to create multiple websites using WordPress, you might have come across the terms WordPress Multisite and WordPress Multi Tenancy. But what do they mean and how are they different?
WordPress Multisite is a feature of WordPress that allows you to create a network of sites under one WordPress installation. You can manage all the sites from a single dashboard, and share themes, plugins, and users across the network. WordPress Multisite is ideal for scenarios where you want to create similar sites for different purposes, such as a network of blogs, online magazines, or e-commerce stores.
WordPress Multi Tenancy, on the other hand, is a concept that refers to hosting multiple WordPress sites on a single server, database, and file system. Each site has its own domain name, but shares the same WordPress core files and resources. WordPress Multi Tenancy is ideal for scenarios where you want to offer WordPress as a service to your clients or customers, and optimize the performance and security of your hosting environment.
The main difference between WordPress Multisite and WordPress Multi Tenancy is that WordPress Multisite is a built-in feature of WordPress, while WordPress Multi Tenancy is not. To achieve WordPress Multi Tenancy, you need to use a third-party solution, such as WPMU DEV’s WPMU DEV Hosting, which allows you to create and manage unlimited WordPress sites with ease.
Both WordPress Multisite and WordPress Multi Tenancy have their pros and cons, depending on your needs and goals. Here are some of the factors to consider when choosing between them:
- Scalability: WordPress Multisite can handle thousands of sites, but it can also become complex and difficult to manage as the network grows. WordPress Multi Tenancy can scale better, as each site is independent and isolated from the others.
- Customization: WordPress Multisite allows you to customize each site individually, but it also limits the options and flexibility of each site. For example, you cannot install plugins or themes that are not network-activated. WordPress Multi Tenancy gives you more control and freedom over each site, as you can install any plugin or theme you want.
- Security: WordPress Multisite has a single point of failure, meaning that if one site gets hacked or infected, the whole network is compromised. WordPress Multi Tenancy has a higher level of security, as each site is separated and protected from the others.
- Maintenance: WordPress Multisite requires less maintenance, as you only need to update the core files once for the whole network. WordPress Multi Tenancy requires more maintenance, as you need to update each site individually.
