Steps to Move a WordPress Development Site to a Hosted Site
Migrating a WordPress development site to a live server can be a challenging task, but here’s a simplified guide that breaks it down into manageable steps.
1. Backup your WordPress site files
Create a complete backup of your WordPress site. This generally involves the use of a plugin like UpdraftPlus or Duplicator, which will gather your entire WordPress installation, including any themes, plugins, and database content.
2. Export the WordPress Database
You can do this manually by visiting the phpMyAdmin from your web host’s panel (like cPanel) and selecting your WordPress site’s database, followed by the “Export” option.
3. Create WordPress Database on Live Site Server
Access your web hosting account, go to the database section and create a new database. Remember to generate a username and password for this database.
4. Edit the wp-config.php File
Here, you need to edit the database name, user, and password details to match the newly created database on your live server.
5. Import your WordPress Site to Live Site Server
You can accomplish this via the cPanel File Manager or FTP. Make sure to upload the files to the root directory (often called public_html).
6. Import the WordPress Database on Live Site
Use phpMyAdmin to import your WordPress site’s database.
7. Fix any URLs and Database
In some cases, you may need to replace all instances of the old site’s URL with your new site’s URL.
8. Configure your website’s domain
Configure your domain to point to your new web host.
Please note that it’s recommended to have technical skills or the assistance of someone experienced in transferring websites. The process can become quite technical, and any mistake made can result in your site not functioning properly.
At Synapse Team, we offer WordPress Development Services, and part of our service portfolio includes assisting clients with website migrations. If you’d rather not tackle this on your own, our team of expert WordPress developers would be happy to help with the transition. Feel free to reach out to us!