- Article
- Intermediate
- 2 minutes read
- Reviewed August 4, 2026
- Advanced WordPress and integrations
WordPress Multisite allows one WordPress installation to operate a network of sites.
Sites share WordPress core and normally share the installed theme and plugin codebase, while each site has its own content, options and selected tables.
Network Architecture
A network has:
- A primary site.
- Additional sites.
- Network administration.
- Super Admin users.
- Shared users.
- network-level settings.
- site-specific tables.
- shared extension files.
The network can use subdirectories, subdomains or mapped domains depending on configuration.
Users and Permissions
User accounts are generally shared across the network.
Membership and capabilities are assigned per site. Super Admin has network-level authority beyond a normal site Administrator.
Custom code should distinguish network and site context.
Themes and Plugins
Themes can be made available to the network while individual sites activate allowed themes.
Plugins can be activated per site or network-activated. A network-activated plugin runs across the network and must handle site context correctly.
Data Context
Use functions such as switch_to_blog() when code must operate on another site, and always restore the previous context.
Network options and site options have different scopes.
When Multisite Fits
Multisite can fit:
- University or franchise networks.
- regional sites.
- product documentation families.
- managed client platforms.
- language sites with shared governance.
- organizations using one controlled extension stack.
When It Does Not Fit
It may be unsuitable when sites need independent hosting, separate plugin ownership, isolated security boundaries or different release schedules.
A failure in shared code can affect many sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Multisite the same as running several installations?
No. Sites share one WordPress installation and network administration.
Can each site install its own plugin?
Not normally. Plugin installation is controlled at network level.
Continue Learning
Previous: Headless WordPress Explained