Title: Can WordPress multisite have distinct databases?
Last modified: October 20, 2022

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# Can WordPress multisite have distinct databases?

 *  [IoClaudio](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ioclaudio/)
 * (@ioclaudio)
 * [3 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/can-wordpress-multisite-have-distinct-databases/)
 * Hi,
    we are considering the use of WordPress to implement the sites of the departments
   of our public administration. I’ve implemented multisite solutions in the past
   with Drupal but not with WordPress. It would be nice if the sites share the code,
   the themes, and the plugins but have distinct databases. Is it possible? How 
   this solution is called in the WordPress literature? Thank you very much for 
   helping me.
 * Claudio

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

 *  [Robert Anderson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/noisysocks/)
 * (@noisysocks)
 * [3 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/can-wordpress-multisite-have-distinct-databases/#post-16120353)
 * Hi [@ioclaudio](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ioclaudio/). Check out the
   Multisite feature in WordPress. This lets you create a network of virtual sites.
   All of the sites will use the same WordPress code, plugins, and themes.
 * Here’s a guide on setting this up:
 * > [Create A Network](https://wordpress.org/support/article/create-a-network/)
    -  This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by [Robert Anderson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/noisysocks/).
 *  Thread Starter [IoClaudio](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ioclaudio/)
 * (@ioclaudio)
 * [3 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/can-wordpress-multisite-have-distinct-databases/#post-16124935)
 * Thank you for the link.
    I’ve tried it and I don’t like two things: – each child
   instance uses the same database as the father, adding its own tables. – the administrator
   of a site can’t activate or deactivate a plugin, only the network administrator
   can do this.
 * I would prefer that each instance has its own database and that the plugin are
   shared but each instance can activate or not activate them.
    However, it is good
   that the network administrator has an interface to manage all the other instances.
   We should evaluate the pros and the cons and make a decision. Thank you.
 * cld
    -  This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by [IoClaudio](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ioclaudio/).
 *  [Robert Anderson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/noisysocks/)
 * (@noisysocks)
 * [3 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/can-wordpress-multisite-have-distinct-databases/#post-16126916)
 * > – the administrator of a site can’t activate or deactivate a plugin, only the
   > network administrator can do this.
 * To address this you could give site admins (in addition to network admins) the`
   activate_plugins`, `edit_plugins`, and `install_plugins` capability.
 * [https://wordpress.org/support/article/roles-and-capabilities/#activate_plugins](https://wordpress.org/support/article/roles-and-capabilities/#activate_plugins)
 * The database issue I’m not sure is solvable. It’s a design choice made by WordPress.
 * Hope that helps, and all the best.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

The topic ‘Can WordPress multisite have distinct databases?’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Networking WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/multisite/)
 * 3 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [Robert Anderson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/noisysocks/)
 * Last activity: [3 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/can-wordpress-multisite-have-distinct-databases/#post-16126916)
 * Status: not resolved

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