WordPress config file

The wp-config.php file is a crucial part of any WordPress installation. It contains database connection information and various WordPress configuration options. Here is a tutorial that covers some of the things you can do in the wp-config.php file:

  1. Set database connection information: The wp-config.php file contains constants that define the database connection details for your WordPress site. These constants include DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD, and DB_HOST. You can use these constants to set the name of your database, the username and password for accessing the database, and the database host.
  2. Set WordPress security keys: WordPress uses security keys to increase the security of your site by adding an extra layer of encryption to your login information and cookies. You can set these keys in the wp-config.php file using the constants AUTH_KEY, SECURE_AUTH_KEY, LOGGED_IN_KEY, and NONCE_KEY. You can generate these keys using the WordPress Secret Key Generator tool.
  3. Set WordPress debugging mode: WordPress has a built-in debugging mode that can help you identify and troubleshoot issues with your site. You can turn on debugging mode by setting the WP_DEBUG constant to true in the wp-config.php file. When debugging mode is turned on, WordPress will display error messages and other debugging information on your site.
  4. Change the default WordPress table prefix: By default, WordPress uses the “wp_” prefix for its database tables. You can change this prefix by setting the $table_prefix constant in the wp-config.php file. This can be useful if you want to run multiple WordPress installations on the same database.
  5. Change the default WordPress language: WordPress is available in many different languages, and you can change the default language for your site in the wp-config.php file. To do this, you can set the WPLANG constant to the language code for the language you want to use. For example, to use English, you can set WPLANG to “en_US”.
  6. Set up WordPress to use a custom content directory: By default, WordPress stores its content (such as plugins, themes, and media files) in the “wp-content” directory. You can change this directory by setting the WP_CONTENT_DIR and WP_CONTENT_URL constants in the wp-config.php file.
  7. Enable or disable WordPress automatic updates: By default, WordPress will automatically update itself to the latest version when an update is available. You can disable this behavior or customize how it works by setting the AUTOMATIC_UPDATER_DISABLED, WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE, and WP_HTTP_BLOCK_EXTERNAL constants in the wp-config.php file.
  8. Set the default theme for your WordPress site: If you want to specify a default theme for your site, you can use the WP_DEFAULT_THEME constant in the wp-config.php file. This can be useful if you want to ensure that a particular theme is always used, even if the active theme is changed.
  9. Set the maximum number of post revisions: By default, WordPress will save multiple versions of each post as you make edits. You can change the maximum number of revisions that are saved by setting the WP_POST_REVISIONS constant in the wp-config.php file.
  10. Set the WordPress cron job frequency: WordPress uses a “cron job” to perform tasks on a regular basis, such as checking for updates and publishing scheduled posts. You can change the frequency of the cron job by setting the WP_CRON_LOCK_TIMEOUT and WP_CRON_EXECUTION_LIMIT constants in the wp-config.php file.

Some code examples

  1. Set database connection information:
define('DB_NAME', 'database_name');
define('DB_USER', 'database_username');
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'database_password');
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');
  1. Set WordPress security keys:
define('AUTH_KEY',         'put your unique phrase here');
define('SECURE_AUTH_KEY',  'put your unique phrase here');
define('LOGGED_IN_KEY',    'put your unique phrase here');
define('NONCE_KEY',        'put your unique phrase here')
  1. Set WordPress debugging mode:
define('WP_DEBUG', true);
  1. Change the default WordPress table prefix:
$table_prefix  = 'wp_';
  1. Change the default WordPress language:
define('WPLANG', 'en_US');
  1. Set up WordPress to use a custom content directory:
define('WP_CONTENT_DIR', dirname(__FILE__) . '/custom-content');
define('WP_CONTENT_URL', 'http://example.com/custom-content');
  1. Enable or disable WordPress automatic updates:
define('AUTOMATIC_UPDATER_DISABLED', true);
define('WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE', 'minor');
define('WP_HTTP_BLOCK_EXTERNAL', true);
  1. Set the default theme for your WordPress site:
define('WP_DEFAULT_THEME', 'twentyseventeen');
  1. Set the maximum number of post revisions:
define('WP_POST_REVISIONS', 5);
  1. Set the WordPress cron job frequency:
define('WP_CRON_LOCK_TIMEOUT', 60);
define('WP_CRON_EXECUTION_LIMIT', 60);