> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mainwp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# MainWP Introduction

> Learn what MainWP is and how it works. MainWP is a free, open-source, self-hosted WordPress management solution using the MainWP Dashboard and Child plugins with OpenSSL encryption for secure communication.

This is Part 1 of the MainWP Getting Started guide. [Continue to Part 2: Get Started with MainWP →](/getting-started/get-started-with-mainwp)

## What is MainWP

MainWP is a free, open-source, self-hosted solution for managing multiple WordPress sites. Whether maintaining personal blogs or client sites, MainWP provides centralized management.

MainWP consists of two essential plugins:

* **MainWP Dashboard** - Your control center, installed on a dedicated WordPress site
* **MainWP Child** - Deployed on each WordPress site you want to manage

<Note>
  MainWP is not designed for WordPress Multisite setups.
</Note>

### MainWP Dashboard

The Dashboard plugin operates as your control center for all managed sites. We highly recommend installing it on a clean, dedicated WordPress installation to avoid plugin conflicts.

### MainWP Child

The Child plugin enables secure communication between your Dashboard and managed sites, allowing remote management and automated actions.

## Is it Secure?

### Encryption & Key Management

MainWP uses OpenSSL encryption (2048-bit) for all communication between your Dashboard and Child sites. During the initial connection, a public-private key pair is generated. The public key is stored on child sites, and the private key remains on the Dashboard.

To disconnect a child site, you need access to that site's WordPress admin credentials.

### Privacy Philosophy

Since MainWP operates entirely on your server with open-source, unencrypted code, you can audit the complete codebase via [GitHub](https://github.com/mainwp/mainwp). We do not track or keep any information about your child sites.

## How it Works

### Communication Protocol

MainWP communicates with your child sites using:

* **Ports**: 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS)
* **Encryption**: OpenSSL when available
* **User-Agent**:

```
Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; MainWP/[version]; +https://mainwp.com)
```

### No Footprint

By default, MainWP leaves no server footprint, maintaining complete privacy on your installation.

***

**Next Step**: [Get Started with MainWP →](/getting-started/get-started-with-mainwp)