The WordPress installation comes with the default themes from WordPress as well as a Stanford theme and a couple of extra plugins already installed. However, you are free to download and install additional themes and plugins created by the worldwide WordPress community. These additional themes or plugins are your responsibility to maintain, however, and you should take care to choose ones that work well.
Pre-installed themes and plugins
Your WordPress installation comes with an additional Stanford Theme as well as two plugins (HTTP Authentication and Stanford Reverse Proxy).
Stanford theme
A Stanford-branded theme is the default theme for any installation of WordPress done through the WordPress Installer.
Note: do not move, delete, or modify this theme directly. Doing so breaks the upgrade process. If you want to add functionality to this theme, the easiest and safest way to do it is through a "child" theme. A WordPress child theme is a theme that inherits the functionality of another theme, but allows you to modify or add to it. Read more about child themes and how to create them at WordPress.org.
HTTP Authentication plugin
The HTTP Authentication plugin is a third-party plugin that Stanford uses to provide integration with WebAuth, allowing you and your users to log into your WordPress site using your SUNetID and password. If you selected that your website be protected by WebAuth at installation, this plugin is activated for you.
Reverse Proxy plugin
The reverse proxy plugin is only needed by sites that are using a Web Virtual Host (also known as a vanity URL) that was set up a long time ago. Most new installations do not need this plugin, and it is inactive by default.
Use additional themes and plugins
There are thousands of free or low-cost non-Stanford themes and plugins available to add design or functionality to your WordPress site. You can browse themes and plugins on WordPress.org. As with any software, the quality of themes and plugins varies. If you are looking for recommendations from other WordPress users on campus, try emailing the wordpress-users@lists.stanford.edu mailing list.
Please note that University IT can't help you choose or maintain themes or plugins you install on your own and that while most will, not all plugins work on the Stanford web servers.
Installing themes and plugins through the WordPress Admin Panel does not work at Stanford. It might appear to, but it will eventually ask you for your FTP (file transfer protocol) username and password. This is an insecure method of transmitting files over the network and it's not enabled on any of Stanford's servers.
The WordPress software is installed on Stanford's distributed file system, called AFS. In order to install your own themes and plugins, you'll need to:
- Download the themes or plugins to your computer.
- Unzip (expand) the themes or plugins on your computer.
- Connect to AFS using one of the methods below.
- Upload the plugins and themes to the location in AFS where WordPress is installed.
- Activate the themes or plugins using the WordPress Admin panel.
Uploading themes and plugins through SFTP
University IT provides two SFTP software programs free of charge: Fetch for the Macintosh and SecureFX for Windows. Instructions on how to install the software and connect to shared servers are included on the Essential Stanford Software pages. Installation instructions for Fetch and installation instructions for SecureFx are available.
Uploading themes and plugins using OpenAFS
University IT also packages OpenAFS client software for both Windows and Mac OS X. This software provides an alternative to SFTP clients like SecureFX and Fetch for people who frequently access files in AFS space. Follow the instructions on the OpenAFS pages to install and connect to (mount) your group or department's directory.
