UPDATE: The plugin has now been released, please find it here:
WordPress HTML Static Plugin
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!
