Global Domains International offers all of our users plugins to create, manage and make better use of their .ws domains. But with more add ons and plugins come more questions. We share some of our top questions and answers below.

What is WordPress?
WordPress is a free open source blogging software that has become one of the most popular and prominent content management services on the web. In WordPress.org’s own words: “The core software is built by hundreds of community volunteers, and when you’re ready for more there are thousands of plugins and themes available to transform your site into almost anything you can imagine. Over 25 million people have chosen WordPress to power the place on the web they call “home” – we’d love you to join the family.”

Where can I get WordPress Themes?
You can find over a thousand design themes at http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/. There are many other sites you may get themes from, but we recommend sticking to wordpress.org for quality control.

Where can I get WordPress Extensions?
You can find extensions at http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/. Note: all extensions are use at your own risk!! We do not create the extensions, and cannot guarantee their effectiveness or stability. You should read reviews and check other user ratings of an extension before you decide to install one.

How do I get an API Key for my WordPress plugins?
Some plugins need an API Key to work. Don’t search through your GDI WordPress Blog to find it; it’s not there. The folks at WordPress.com require an account to be registered with them before they will attach an API Key. This does not mean your blog must be hosted with them; it only means you must create an account, find the API Key in the “User” section, and then use it with your GDI blog. To create an account with WordPress.com, go to https://en.wordpress.com/signup. Do not put your GDI Blog information into the signup fields. Input whatever information you’d like, and then locate the API Key in the Users > Users section. You may use that API Key in your GDI Blog.

I already have a WordPress site, can I bring it to GDI?
Yes. WordPress has built in Import and Export functionality to let you move your site to whatever host you prefer. To bring an existing blog to GDI, first login to your existing blog. On the main navigation menu, look for “Tools”. In the submenu of “Tools”, click “Export,” and then press “Download Export File”. This will cause you to save a file to your local computer with a name like “blog-name.wordpress.YYYY-MM-DD.xml”. After you download the file, login to your GDI WordPress Blog. Again look for “Tools”, only this time click “Import.” Select “WordPress” from the list of blog services, and then “Install” to install the importer on the server (nothing is installed on your local computer). Next, click “Activate Plugin & Run Importer.” Finally, browse your computer and upload the file you exported earlier, the one with a name like “blog-name.wordpress.YYYY-MM-DD.xml”. Now GDI is hosting your WordPress site, and you cancel that Hosting service you were paying for!

Do I have FTP access to my Plugins?
Yes. Your FTP credentials are the following:

Host: ftp.yourdomain.tld (For example, “domain.ws” would be “ftp.domain.ws”)
Username: same as your GDI username
Password: same as your GDI password
Port: 21

Once connected, you will see a directory for each Plugin you have created, with the name you have assigned to it. Please be careful! It’s easy to break a Plugin by deleting, moving, or modifying critical files. Only experts should be administering their Plugins by FTP. In most instances where you might use FTP, you can perform similar operations from the normal web interface.

I just created a Primary service, but when I try to login I still see my old DNS choice?
It may take up to an hour for your DNS changes to propogate when you set a plugin to Primary. Please wait for caches to expire, and try again later.

More Q&A from this topic coming next week. Leave your Plugin questions in the comments!