Using WP for Custom DB Apps

  • I’m getting some pushback from some members of my programming team to look to switch from a very powerful but relatively complex framework we use for building complex custom database apps to WordPress. (By “complex” I mean apps consisting of multiple tables with dozens and dozens of SQL queries which make extensive use of JOINs.) There are a number of reasons for these suggestions but as I review WP in the forums and docs here, I do not get a sense that adopting WP for its CMS and user management functionality, e.g., and essentially replacing the rest of the WP DB behind the scenes with a set of tables comprising a complex application is a good idea.

    I’ve scoured the forums looking for discussion of this topic but most of what I’ve found has been marginally off topic, focusing on the use of custom fields and adding tables to the WP suite of functionality. Some of what I’ve read in those threads makes me wary but some of that particular material is a year old or older so I’m not inclined simply to trust it.

    Anyone have any solid experience one way or the other o this? Care to share experience or philoosphical insights?

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  • First, keep in mind that WordPress was developed with blogging in mind. I’d actually recommend creating a free account at https://www.wordpress.com so you can see what the interface looks like and how things function by default.

    That said, there is no problem with using multiple database tables to drive and manipulate data. It’s just that the majority of users don’t have that requirement and most people on the forums don’t interact directly with the database anyway.

    However, you can add as many tables to the database as you want and interact with them either through pre-programmed SQL statements or on-the-fly statements. It all depends on your SQL and PHP programming capabilities and whether or not you employ an outside developer.

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