wp-config.php is a crucial file in WordPress as it contains important configuration settings that control various aspects of your website. Here are some useful things you can do with wp-config.php:
1 Modify Database Connection Settings
You can use wp-config.php to specify the database name, username, password, and host for your WordPress website. This is useful if you need to change your database credentials, move your website to a different server, or if you’re using a custom database setup.
2 Increase WordPress Memory Limit
By default, WordPress has a memory limit of 64MB, which may not be sufficient for some websites. You can use wp-config.php to increase the memory limit by adding the following line of code: define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M' );. You can change the value to suit your needs.
define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M' );
3 Change WordPress Secret Keys
WordPress uses secret keys to encrypt information stored in cookies. You can use wp-config.php to change the secret keys, which is a good security practice. You can generate new keys using the WordPress Secret Key Generator and then paste them into your wp-config.php file.
4 Disable WordPress Debugging
Debugging is a useful tool for developers, but it can expose sensitive information about your website. You can use wp-config.php to disable debugging by adding the following line of code: define( 'WP_DEBUG', false );. This will prevent WordPress from displaying error messages and warnings on your website.
define( 'WP_DEBUG', false );
5 Enable Multisite
If you want to run multiple WordPress sites from a single installation, you can use wp-config.php to enable the multisite feature. You can do this by adding the following line of code: define( 'WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true );. Once enabled, you can configure the multisite feature from your WordPress dashboard.
define( 'WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true );
6 Change the WordPress Table Prefix
By default, WordPress uses “wp_” as the prefix for all database tables. This can make your website vulnerable to SQL injection attacks. You can use wp-config.php to change the table prefix by adding the following line of code: $table_prefix = 'wp_customprefix_';. Make sure to replace “wp_customprefix_” with your preferred prefix.
$table_prefix = 'wp_customprefix_';
7 Block WordPress Updates
If you want to prevent WordPress from updating automatically, you can use wp-config.php to disable updates. You can do this by adding the following line of code: define( 'WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE', false );. Note that it’s essential to keep your WordPress website up-to-date to ensure security and stability.
define( 'WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE', false );
8 Disable File Editor
By default, WordPress allows you to edit your theme and plugin files from the dashboard. This can be a security risk, as it allows unauthorized users to modify your website. You can use wp-config.php to disable the file editor by adding the following line of code: define( 'DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true );.
define( 'DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true );
9 Specify SSL Settings
If you want to force your website to use SSL (HTTPS) for all connections, you can use wp-config.php to specify SSL settings. You can add the following lines of code to your wp-config.php file:
This will force the WordPress login and admin pages to use SSL.
Be free to leave a comment on @bhllinfo or @praznalobanja.