Running Multiple WordPress Instances in One Database: A Comprehensive Guide

WordPress is a versatile and popular content management system used by millions to power websites, blogs, and online stores. But what if you need to manage multiple WordPress websites and want to keep things efficient and organized? The answer lies in running multiple WordPress instances in a single database. In this guide, we’ll take you through the steps to achieve this, allowing you to maintain multiple websites with ease.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the process, make sure you have the following prerequisites in place:

• A web server (e.g., Apache or Nginx) configured to serve your WordPress websites.
• MySQL database server ready for hosting multiple WordPress databases.
• WordPress installation files for each website you want to create.

Step 1: Create a New Database

The first step is to create a new database for your second WordPress instance. You can do this using a MySQL database management tool like phpMyAdmin or via the command line:

Step 2: Configure the First WordPress Instance:

Install and configure the first WordPress instance as you normally would, but during the setup process, specify a unique table prefix in the wp-config.php file:

Make sure that this installation uses a different table prefix than the default (wp_) to avoid conflicts with the second instance.

Step 3: Configure the Second WordPress Instance:

Install and configure the second WordPress instance in a separate directory, but during the setup process, specify a different table prefix in the wp-config.php file:

Use a different table prefix than both the default (wp_) and the first instance (wp1_).

Step 4: Complete Installation:

Finish the installation process for both WordPress instances, following the on-screen instructions. Make sure each installation uses its respective database and unique table prefix.

Step 5: Adjust your docker-compose.yml file:

Configure your docker-compose.yml file to add the two wordpress instance to eun in the same db,

Step 6: Test Your Installations:

Visit the URLs associated with each WordPress instance (e.g., http://localhost:8080 and http://localhost:8081) and make sure both installations are accessible and working correctly.

With these steps, you should have two separate WordPress instances running in a single MySQL database, each with its own unique table prefix and directory structure. This allows you to manage multiple WordPress websites with shared database resources.