HF PanelDocsv1.0.0

Use staging and push live

Make a private staging copy of a website, try updates there, then push files, database or both to the live site, and undo if needed.

Staging gives a website a private copy at staging.example.com. You try a new theme, a big plugin update or a redesign there, and push it to the live site in one click when it works. A full backup is taken before every push.

You need: a website in your hosting account (WordPress, an app with a .env file, or plain files).

1. Make the staging copy

  1. Open Control Panel › Websites › Staging.
  2. Find example.com and click Make staging copy, then confirm.

The message gives the copy's address, staging.example.com, and says whether it has its own copy of the database. WordPress addresses are rewritten to the staging name, and search engines are asked not to index it.

2. Open the copy

  1. If the domain uses the server's nameservers, staging.example.com resolves by itself. Otherwise add an A record for staging pointing at the server's IP where the domain's DNS is.
  2. Open Domains › SSL/TLS and click Get free SSL on the staging row if it has no certificate yet.
  3. Open https://staging.example.com. For WordPress, sign in at /wp-admin/ with your usual login.

3. Make your changes

Work on the copy only: update plugins, switch theme, edit files in the File Manager under web/staging/, or change content. The live site is not touched.

Tip: to start again from the live site, click the arrow next to Push to live and choose Copy live to staging again.

4. Push to live

  1. Back on Websites › Staging, click Push to live on the website's row.

  2. Choose what to push:

    Option When to use it
    Files only you changed code, a theme or plugins, but the live site has new orders, comments or sign-ups you must keep
    Database only you changed content or settings only
    Files and database the live site has had no new data since the copy was made

  3. Confirm.

wp-config.php and .env on the live site are never overwritten, and WordPress addresses switch back to the live name. The message names the backup taken first.

Warning: Files and database and Database only replace the live database. Orders, comments or sign-ups made on the live site since the copy was made are lost.

5. Check the live site, or undo

Open the live site and test it. If something is wrong:

  1. Open Files › Backups.
  2. Click Restore next to the backup named in the push message.
  3. Choose Everything, type RESTORE and click Restore.

6. Tidy up

When you are done, click the arrow next to Push to live and choose Delete staging copy. The staging site, its files and its database copy are deleted; the live site is not touched.