I love Wordpress. Except when they release new versions. Suddenly there’s a lot of unplanned work, updating every Wordpress-powered site that I’m in charge for. What if there was a way to minimize the work? There is.

By creating symbolic links from your sites to one and the same Wordpress installation and modify it’s configuration file, you’ll only have one installation to take care of. No biggie and this guide will lead you there.

I don’t recommend this method for Wordpress newbies. Don’t blame me if this method fails or makes your server explode, use it at your own risk. With that said, let’s get on!

1. Ensure that it isn't Wordpress MU your looking for

   Wordpress MU is built to manage hundreds or even thousands of blogs, this method ain't.

2. Permissions

   Make sure you have permission to create and remove symbolic links on your server, you're going to need it later on.

3. Find a good place

   Upload the Wordpress folder to a suitable place on your server, you will create symbolic links to this place in a couple of minutes.

4. Where's your blog?

   Create the folder where you want your blog to be run from.

5. The magic form

   This is the step that will generate the needed Unix commands and the proper modifications for the wp-config.php. Fill out the form and submit it:

   Paths
   Absolute path to your Wordpress folder
   Absolute path to the blog
   Wordpress version
   - 2.6.5 2.7
   Database
   One single database, with a table prefix per site One database per site

6. Set up and modify wp-config.php

   Set up wp-config.php as usual in the Wordpress folder.

   There's more information to get viewed here once the form is submitted... Much of the magic happens here so don't ignore it!

7. The database

   Create the database you plan to use, if it doesn't already exist. If you've decided to use separate databases for each blog, make sure you name the database(s) in the right form!

8. Symbolic links

   There's more information to get viewed here once the form is submitted... Much of the magic happens here so don't ignore it!

9. Install

   Run the rest of the install as usual.

10. Where are your uploads?

    Log in to Wordpress and set up the proper absolute path to the "local" uploads folder.

11. Get some super powers

    Get yourself a nice ristretto so you get enough super powers to build the rest of the blog(s). No milk is allowed.

12. Give me feedback

    ... and I'll do my best to improve this method and guide. Tell me how you have used this method for your project(s) and it may result in a blog post here at multipleblogsonasinglewordpressinstallation.com.