HTTPS to HTTP rewrite rules not working as expected

The SSL admin and login redirection should be done through the FORCE_SSL_ADMIN constant in wp-config.php: define(‘FORCE_SSL_ADMIN’, true); For further information: Administration Over SSL Aditionally, if you want be redirected to http when you’re logged and in the frontend, take a look at: Redirect WordPress front end https URLs to http without a plugin

How do I turn off the blog and archives?

You are already using pages which does not work the same as posts. You have to remember, pages don’t have taxonomies and they are excluded from the main query by default on all archive pages and the homepage, so there can never be any links to any kind of archive. Archive pages, whether date, category … Read more

Do rewrites added with add_rewrite_rule() persist after plugin deletion?

Let me say beforehand that when using add_rewrite_rule() nothing is written to the htaccess file. Rewrite rules are stored in the database and handled by WordPress internally on PHP level. TL;DR: Rewrite rules do persist after plugin deletion, but probably not the way you’d expect it. When using add_rewrite_rule these rules are added in the … Read more

How to change the displayed URL?

I think you shoud use some .htacess rexrite rules either than relying on the wordpress rewrite functions. It seems more appropriate in your case. Try a rule like this : RewriteRule ^root/([a-zA-Z]+)/([a-zA-Z]+)/$ /root/$2/ [R=301,L] Insert it right after RewriteBase /