wordpress site – using custom database and PHP

Since we do not know how the data should be represented on the ‘front-end’ (read WP install), it is hard to say.

• You could convert the existing database to use custom tables.
• Create a small REST⁽¹⁾ JSON/XML⁽¹⁾ API⁽¹⁾ on the ‘other’ application. Then code a WordPress plugin that shows the data from the API with shortcodes.
  You can ‘cache’ this data with the use of the transients API. Or use AJAX to get the information asynchronous either via your application or some custom back-end code that uses the WordPress AJAX.
• If the data isn’t that complicated, you could try to ‘convert’ it into a Custom Post Type. This way your data is manageable with the standard WordPress admin.

I’ve tried to provide some ideas how to combine WordPress and 3rd party content. This list can probably a bit longer, but these would be the obvious ones. If you could give us a bit more insight to about what data your handling, that would make it tonnes easier to assess and give you an idea to handle it.

I’ve also added a few links to the WordPress Codex. It contains all the necessary explanations and code examples you need.

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