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Thursday, April 30, 2020

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17 financial experts share their predictions for how we'll know when an economic rebound is coming.

When Is It Safe to Reopen in Your State? Here's What Experts Say

Medical modelers just created a timetable for when each state can safely ease social distancing measures.

'Brain Coach' Jim Kwik on Enhancing Leadership--This Thursday

Join Inc. for a free virtual event with the author and founder Jim Kwik, during which he will discuss how to improve focus during the coronavirus pandemic.

How Utah Startups Teamed Up to Tackle Covid-19

One state's ambitious private-public approach to Covid-19 prevention is now being adopted by others.

The Secrets to Billionaire John Paul DeJoria's Success

The co-founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems offers some advice that helped him build his business empire.

What is WordPress Multisite? With Setup Guide

In this post you'll learn what WordPress multisite is and how to get the most from it. I'll show you how to manage a multisite network and I'll explain what multisite is used for.

You might have heard conflicting stories about how multisite works and what it can do for you. Or you might be tempted to give it a try but don’t know where to start.

In this article, I’ll explain everything you need to know about WordPress multisite. I’ll show you what it is, how to get it set up, and what it can do for you as a WordPress user.

So let’s get started!

What Exactly is WordPress Multisite?

WordPress multisite is a way of running WordPress so that you can have as many websites as you want on one WordPress installation.

Normally if you wanted to have more than one website, you’d install WordPress for each new website, set it up and install the themes and plugins you need.

But with multisite, it’s different.

Once you’ve got multisite activated on your WordPress installation, you’ll have a network. This means you can add more sites to your network without having to install WordPress again. It also means you only have to install themes and plugins once, no matter how many sites you’re using them on.

You become the network administrator and each site in your network can either be created by you or by someone else, who then becomes the site administrator for your site. Or you can create sites and add other users as site admins.

If you’ve ever had a WordPress.com site, you’ve used WordPress multisite, as WordPress.com is one vast multisite network with millions of sites.

Uses for WordPress Multisite

WordPress multisite has many possible uses. I run a number of multisite networks, all of which I use in different ways.

Some of the options are:

Create a personal multisite network for hosting your own sites. This saves you having to keep multiple WordPress installations updated and backed up.
Create a multisite network for hosting client sites. With domain mapping, each site will have its own domain. As far as visitors are concerned, each site will look exactly as if it was a standalone site. But you’ll only have one WordPress installation to maintain, which will save you time and hassle.
Use a multisite network to host sites in which you use the same core set of plugins and/or themes. On my client sites, I have a set of plugins which I always use for each new site (SEO, backups, performance, etc.) It’s much easier to host all of these sites on one network and only have one copy of each of the plugins to keep up to date. This also applies if all of your site’s themes are child themes of one theme framework, and you only have to keep the parent theme updated in one place.
Create a network for a community so that community members can create their own blogs. You can add plugins to let you share content between sites and interact as a community.
For a business, create a network to host sites for your different divisions or departments. This means you only have one WordPress installation to manage and you only have to set team members up with one user account.
Create a network that allows people to create their own sites for a subscription fee. You can offer a free ‘basic’ plan and then charge for extra features. This is similar to the model offered by wordpress.com.
Create a network of user sites that’s aimed at a specific niche or market. This way, you can provide plugins and themes that are particularly useful for that sector. A good example is edublogs, which lets educators create sites.

The Main Differences Between WordPress Multisite and Standard WordPress

There are a few key differences between WordPress Multisite and a standard WordPress site.

A standard WordPress installation will only host one site. A multisite network can host anything from two sites to millions of sites, like WordPress.com.
The site administrator of the original site the network was added to becomes the network administrator for the entire network.
Individual sites can be managed by the network administrator and/or by individual site administrators. An individual can be a site admin for multiple sites in the network.
Each site in the network will have its own website address. This can be based on the address of the network, e.g subdirectories (https://mynetwork.com/m ysite) or on subdomains (https://mysite.mynetwork.com). Or you can direct other domains to your network and set up individual sites to use those domains just as if they were a separate site on that domain.
Only the network administrator can install and update themes and plugins. Site administrators can activate themes and plugins for their site, depending on whether the network admin has allowed this.
Only the network admin can update WordPress itself.
A theme or plugin that’s used on multiple sites in the network is only stored once. This saves space on your server as well as time keeping things updated.
When you activate multisite, WordPress creates some extra database tables. There’s a new set of tables for each site in the network, plus some extra tables to store information about the network itself.
Each user in the network is only stored once, and not duplicated for individual sites. This means you can add an existing user to more sites easily.
As the network admin, you get access to extra screens which are designed to help you manage the network and the sites within it.

Activating WordPress Multisite

To set up a multisite network, you activate multisite on an existing WordPress installation. This involves adding some code to two files in your WordPress installation.

Follow along with my video about how to set up WordPress Multisite:

This is a lesson from my Complete Guide to WordPress Multisite—follow along and you will learn how to use WordPress multisite from a-z.

WordPress

Complete Guide to WordPress Multisite

Rachel McCollin

Adding Sites to A Multisite Network: The Options

Once you’ve got your multisite network set up, it’s time to create some sites. There are two ways of doing this:

You create sites as the network administrator, and then manage these yourself or add other users as site admins.
You enable site creation by other people, who then become the site administrators of sites they create.

You can see how in my video on adding sites to a multisite network:

To create sites as the network administrator, go to Network Admin > Sites > Add New. You will be taken to a screen where you fill in the details of the new site.

To enable site creation by users, go to Network Admin > Settings > Network Settings.

Scroll down to the Registration Settings section and select the option you want. You can allow site creation by existing users or by anyone. If someone who isn’t already a registered user on your network creates a site, they will have a user account set up for them at the same time.

network settings - only existing users can create sites

Managing a WordPress Multisite Network

Managing a multisite network is a little more complex than managing a single site. You’ll have more sites running on your network, more users, more themes and plugins, and more content.

A key difference between managing a network and a collection of separate WordPress sites is that you only have one WordPress installation to keep updated. You can update WordPress core and al your themes and plugins from one place.

This does however mean that you have to be more careful when carrying out updates. If something goes wrong during the update, it’s not going to affect just one site, but potentially all the sites in your network. If users or clients are paying you to host their sites, it could cause serious problems for your business.

So it’s essential that you have a staging version of your network that you can use to test updates. A good hosting provider will let you create a staging version of your site, use it for testing, and then push the changes you made to your staging site to your live site.

Alternatively you can set up your own staging environment using a tool like vagrant.

Before you make any updates to your live site, make sure you’ve tested them first and that there aren’t any incompatibilities or bugs in the new versions of your themes or plugins.

Frequently Asked Questions About WordPress Multisite

I’ve been working with multisite for many years, and these are some of the questions I get asked the most.

How do I map a domain to a site in a multisite network?

It used to be that you had to install a plugin to do this but it’s now much simpler. All you need to do is:

Ensure the domain name is pointing at the network by changing the DNS settings with your domain registrar.
Go to Network Admin > Sites and click Edit under the site you want to map the domain to.
In the site settings screen, change the domain in the Site Address (URL) field. Click the Save Changes button and you’re done.

Can I move my WordPress site into a multisite network?

Yes, you can. You can either create a multisite network from your existing site, meaning it will be the base site in a new network. Or you can migrate it into an existing multisite network. It’s not as simple as migrating it to another standard site, but it can be done.

WordPress

Moving WordPress: Moving a Site Into a Multisite Network

Rachel McCollin

Do I have to set up a fresh WordPress installation to activate multisite?

No. You can activate multisite on an existing WordPress site. The only difference between this and a multisite network on a new site is that you won’t be able to use subdirectories for your site URL structure - only subdomains. You can still use domain mapping.

I have a site on a network and want to move it to my own standalone site. Can I do this?

Yes. Follow our guide to migrating WordPress out of multisite.

WordPress

Moving WordPress: Moving a Site Out of a Multisite Network

Rachel McCollin

I’m a site administrator. How can I install themes and plugins on my site?

As a site admin, you can’t install themes and plugins unless you are also the network administrator. If you need a specific theme or plugin for your site, ask the network admin if they’d be happy to install it and activate it for your site. If the theme or plugin isn’t from a reputable source, they’ll probably refuse, so make sure you do your research.

I manage a network on which people are allowed to create their own sites. How can I keep my network secure?

If you allow site creation on your network, there is a risk of ‘splogs’—spammy blogs. You can prevent this by only allowing already registered users to create sites on the network. You can also set WordPress to notify you when new sites are created, and you can use a CAPTCHA plugin on your site registration page.

What extra screens do I have access to as a network administrator?

When you activate WordPress multisite, you get a new section of the dashboard which is the network dashboard. This includes the following new screens:

The Sites section, with screens for adding and managing sites.
The Settings section, with a Network Settings screen and a Network Setup screen.

You may also have screens for specific plugins you’ve installed that work with the network instead of individual sites.

What does it mean when I network activate a plugin?

Network activating a plugin can mean one of two things:

The plugin works at a network level and helps you to manage the network, so you can only activate it for the network.
The plugin operates at a site level. If you network activate it, that means it’s active for all sites in the network, and site admins can’t deactivate it.

Conclusion

WordPress multisite is an incredibly useful tool for anyone who wants to run more than one website without the hassle of managing more than one WordPress installation. Follow the guide above to activate multisite and get it running the way you want it to.

The Best WordPress Themes and Plugins on Envato Market

Explore thousands of the best WordPress themes ever created on ThemeForest and leading WordPress plugins on CodeCanyon. Purchase these high-quality WordPress themes and plugins and improve your website experience for you and your visitors.

Here are a few of the best-selling and up-and-coming WordPress themes and plugins available for 2020.

The Best Note-Taking Apps for Android and How to Make Your Own

Note-taking is a simple yet essential activity for the business and general consumers as well. There are tons of note-taking apps for android ranging from simple to advanced.

Some of the uses of note-taking apps include:

recording meetings
jotting down ideas
shared editing of a document

In this post, I'll show you some of the best free Android note apps on the web. Then I'll show you how you can build and customize your own note app!

Qualities of a Good Note-Taking App

The perfect note-taking will have the following qualities:

Simplicity: a simple UI or interface is the perfect ingredient for the ideal note-taking application. Users want to be able to open the app and get it working immediately.
Ease of use: note-taking should require as few steps as possible.
Sync across devices: the ability to sync across multiple devices ensures that users can take notes on the go.
Ability to add media: notes aren't just about text, sometimes the best way to take a note is by taking a picture.
Privacy: privacy is a key concern in the modern world. The perfect note-taking app should ensure the user's data is well protected.

The Best Note-Taking Apps for Android

There are thousands of Android note-taking app on the market to choose from, and therefore is essential to choose the right one that fits your needs. Let's look at some of the best note apps for Android that you can get for free.

Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft OneNote is a multipurpose note-taking app that lets you organize your ideas, thoughts as well as plan crucial moments with a digital notepad. Whether you want to create something new, track errands, write memos, or plan a big event; One note has got all the features to make this possible.

Also, Microsoft OneNote lets you take notes on your phone and sync them across all your devices. OneNote also allows you to search your notes quickly and effortlessly.

Some of the most notable features of Microsoft Onenote include:

ability to place content anywhere you want using its flexible canvas
ability to save images to your notes
ability to scan documents

Google Keep

Google Keep a simple note-taking app that allows you to quickly capture what's on your mind by and get a reminder later at the right place or time. Google Keep works across all your devices, and everything you add syncs across all of your devices, ensuring your thoughts are always with you.

You can take notes via the following methods:

type using your onscreen keyboard
speak note and have it automatically transcribed
take a picture of a document or receipt, and Google will pull the text out and make a note of it

Evernote

Evernote is a full-featured and powerful productivity app. It lets you take both typed and handwritten notes, create to-do lists, scan documents using your camera, and collaborate on content with others. Evernote offers many ways of creating notes such as text, photos, and video, as well as PDF and web clippings.

Evernote also allows you to sync content across all your devices, ie., computer, tablet, and phone. For collaboration, Evernote allows you to create, share, and discuss content with your colleagues.

Keep My Notes

Keep My Notes is an easy and straightforward note-taking app for Android that comes with a variety of excellent features. Keep my Notes lets you create handwritten notes using a finger or stylus as well as the ability to create notes using a built-in text-to-speech feature. It also allows you to add audio to your notes.

In terms of security, Keep My Notes lets you lock your notes with a password to protect your notes. Keep my Notes also comes with light and dark themes and the ability to adjust the font color and text size when writing notes.

Additionally, Keep My Notes offers an offline backup and the ability to restore all your recorded notes.

Other features include:

notes for home screen
alarm reminders for your notes
checklist for things that need to be done
spell check
offline notepad

How to Make the Best Note-Taking App

Most people will be happy using one of the existing note-taking apps from the list above. However, if you make your own app you can customize every aspect! And it just might be easier than you think.

An app template makes it easy to create a mobile app.

CodeCanyon is an online marketplace that has hundreds of professional Android full app templates and builder tools. Some of these are incredibly feature-rich and well-designed. You can sometimes save days, even months, of effort by using one of them.

CodeCanyon mobile Android app template bestsellers

Let's look at some of the Android app templates that could allow you to make a note-taking app in the shortest time possible. These templates will allow you to create a note-taking app in no time—sometimes without even coding!

Android Notes

Android Notes is an advanced note-taking app that allows you to take notes as either text, voice, or PDF files. It is a very straightforward and powerful note-taking app that lets you create sections and organize your notes. This template also features note encryption and locking mechanism, which ensures your notes are well protected.

Also, Android Notes lets you backup your notes to your memory card. Other features include:

sticky note widget
ability to prepare a program on Calendar
list or grid view
note on search
reminder system
share notes via SMS, email, and Twitter

Draft

Draft is a full-featured note app template with an easy to use interface. It offers features such as:

beautiful design
text to speech
ability to add photos in notes
fast saving
light and dark themes, among others

It's coded in Flutter, so it works on Android or iOS.

Conclusion

Mobile apps have become an integral part of our daily life. And you have many apps to choose from, like One Note, Evernote, etc. The right app can boost your productivity and make you feel engaged with your notes. Hence make the right choice.

Not only that, but it is also now easier than ever to make a note-taking app customized to the needs of your organization.

Full App Android Templates from CodeCanyon

CodeCanyon is an online marketplace that has hundreds of additional templates, for every kind of app and mobile platform. Save time on your next app with one of these templates!

If you have trouble deciding which template on CodeCanyon is right for you, these articles should help: