Rebooting a large Wordpress Site

May 3, 2018 10:50 PM

I have a large wordpress site that needs some modernization. It uses a custom built theme done in 2012 which is no longer really compatible with the current versions of WP and WooComm.

The site is huge.

5,000 products
6,700 users
16,600 order history
5,600 user wishlists
1,200 blog posts
3,000 lines in the functions.php

I have plugins that certainly are obsolete if I switch to a current theme. The functions.php file is filled with abandoned code and fixes all over the place. I use the Members plugin to manage Wholesale users and Retail users who then have different access. Testing the current WooComm version broke a bunch of things, I figure I really need to "modernize".

What's the best approach? Should I dupe the site and start on getting a current theme running? Not worry about the database and just use it as is? Or is it worth the effort to try to rebuild the database from scratch, given the specs above?


I'm stuck on starting because I'm not sure what the best approach would be to cut the fat and get the site fit and trim.

I appreciate any advice.

posted by humboldt32 to Computers & Internet (2 answers total)

I think I’d duplicate the current site and database as a staging site. Then I’d update all my plugins and install a new theme. Most modern themes are WooCommerce friendly.

Then you’ll have to go through and work put the kinks.

You may have want to look at the Migrate DB Pro plugin too.
posted by backwards guitar at 1:36 AM on May 4, 2018

I agree with backwards guitar, as someone who has worked with membership plugins. If it were me I wouldn't want to be faced with making those 3,000 lines of Functions.php happy.

I'd start with a fresh theme, fresh DB, but find out what DB tables you need and import those as-needed.
posted by johngoren at 2:40 AM on May 4, 2018 [1 favorite]