Adminer

What is Adminer?

Adminer, formerly known as phpMinAdmin, is a full-featured database management tool written in PHP. Unlike phpMyAdmin, which is a multi-file solution, Adminer consists of a single file that's ready for deployment to the target server. It is available for various databases, including MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MS SQL, Oracle, Elasticsearch, MongoDB, and others. Since WordPress stores all its data in the MySQL database, Adminer offers a "raw" view of the data, tables, and fields within this database.

Advantages of Adminer

• Simple Interface: Adminer offers a clean and user-friendly interface, unlike some other database management tools.
• Direct Data Manipulation: Useful for direct database edits, especially if WordPress stopped working.
• Lightweight: Being a single PHP file, it is easy to upload, use, and remove.

What is it good for?

Adminer is beneficial for table maintenance, data backups, and direct database edits. Occasionally, in the Support Forums, contributors share beneficial SQL queries that can be executed using tools like Adminer.

Where can I get it?

Many hosting control panels, like cPanel and Plesk, come with phpMyAdmin pre-installed. If no database access is available, users can consult with their hosting provider to get database access. For those who prefer to use Adminer, it can be downloaded from the Adminer project page.

Installing Adminer

1. Download the latest version of Adminer from the Adminer download page.
2. Upload the Adminer PHP file into the WordPress root directory (where the wp-config.php file is located) using an FTP tool like FileZilla.
3. After uploading the Adminer PHP file to the WordPress root directory, you can access it from your browser by adding the file name to the URL, e.g., https://example.com/adminer-4.8.1.php.
4. The database login credentials must be manually filled and can be obtained from the wp-config.php file.

Installing Adminer as a WordPress Plugin

Adminer might also be available as a plugin in the WordPress plugin repository. If installed as a WordPress plugin, Adminer may automatically use the database login credentials from the wp-config.php file when accessing it.

Security Precautions

To prevent unauthorized access, please ensure that Adminer is either removed or protected after use, especially if it can be accessed publicly. One way to protect it is by restricting access using the .htaccess file. If you're unfamiliar with .htaccess file restrictions, consider seeking guidance on hardening WordPress or removing Adminer after use.

Changelog

• 2023-10-19: Include content from phpMyAdmin.
• 2023-10-19: Include content from FileZilla.
• 2023-10-19: Include content from Hardening WordPress