Original boring title: A more secure WordPress
My method of using WordPress as a locally-run content managment system is, in my opinion, more secure.
Previously, I wrote about how I am running portable web development server on my SD card, for both Mac and PC. I also expanded upon this method to enable WordPress content to be uploaded to Apple’s MobileMe/.Mac web hosting accounts.
Several emails came in. Some applauding the ideas and some simply asking why. Here, I’ll give a few reasons why I first chose and continue to like the way I can now work.
I have signed up with many web hosting providers over the years (1and1, GoDaddy, Media Temple, MobileMe and several Japanese providers). While some are better than others, there are always limitations using shared servers, not to mention fluctuating server loads which spike performance when running server-side technologies like PHP or Perl. Running your own local server, wether it be portable or installed in your operating system, gives you the freedom to upgrade and customize your server to the latest standards or the bleeding edge - for FREE! I also have had to move or cancel hosting accounts several times which leaves the job of moving databases and reconfiguring scripts a real hassle. With my local webserver generating the content and outputting static html files, I know that my site will be consistent among any web host and I don’t have to pay more for special features like database support when choosing where to host my pages. Another reason for keping everything portable is that flash memory is sooooo cheap now (2009) that I can carry several hundred GBs in my wallet without making it any harder to sit on. I even have an 8GB micro-SD card in my phone which would be more than enough storage for a Mac and Windows web server and hundreds of sites to live. I can plug in and work on my web site on almost any Windows or Mac machine I come across. It is also an added layer of backup if my machine at work or home goes down or is attacked by Gremlins!
To summarise, the pros/cons I get from my portable web server which outputs a static WordPress site:
Pros:
- can work anywhere
- static html files load faster
- can host output files virtually anywhere (including many good free hosts)
- no vulnerabilities associated with php
- portability!
- unlimited server customization
Cons:
- no information in the cloud
- inability to interact with server
I think the benefits of full-powered development coupled with the freedom to upload your whole site to almost anywhere outweighs the few restrictions I’ve encountered so far (workarounds in progress!). I don’t know if it will suit everyone, but it’s free and geeky, so worth having a go!