Create a Staging Website

Overview

The Staging Tool creates a complete copy of your website using a temporary domain. This allows you to test new features and updates without disrupting your live website. You can edit and make changes to your site, then publish your changes to your production (live) website.

Every website for your WP Squared account comes with the ability to create a free staging website.

Create a staging website

To create a staging website, perform the following steps:

  1. Click the Domain details icon (Expanded Website View icon) to navigate to the Expanded Website View.
  2. Click the Staging Tool icon (Staging Tool icon) to create a staging website. This process will take a few minutes.
Note:
  • The system creates the staging website as a subdomain of wpsquared.site. Users of the production (live) website cannot see the staging website.
  • A staging website has limited options. The following features are not available for your staging website:
    • Cloning your staging website.
    • Selecting a custom domain name for your staging website.
    • Creating a backup of the staging website.
    • Use of a Content Delivery Network (CDN).
    • Use of Smart PHP Update.
  • Once you have created a staging website, we recommend you always use it to make changes to your production website.

Publish your changes

To publish your changes, click Publish at the top of the Expanded Website View for your staging website.

The Publish Website window will appear. You must select the publication options for your website’s files and database tables.

File options

The system selects the Files, including the core, theme, and plugin files. and Replace modified files (even if they are older) options by default. We recommend this option.

If you select Remove files from the production site that do not exist on the staging site, the system will only remove files under WordPress subdirectories, like wp-admin, wp-content, and wp-includes. It will not remove the files in the user’s document root.

Database options

The system selects the Database and All database tables except pages, posts, and users options by default. We select All database tables except pages, posts, and users to avoid overwriting important changes on the production site. For example, if you add new blog posts to production after creating the staging site, selecting All database tables would overwrite these posts. By choosing All database tables except pages, posts, and users, we keep the new blog posts safe.

Note:

If you select Files, including the core, theme, and plugin files, but uncheck Database or choose New database tables only, the following will happen when you publish to production:

  • The system will copy plugins and theme files from the staging website to the production website.
  • New plugins or themes added to the staging site will appear in production but remain deactivated by default.

How to return to your staging website

Once you have created a staging website, you can return to it and test new features.

To manage your staging website, perform the following steps:

  1. From the Website Dashboard, click the down arrow () next to the desired website. The staging website will appear.
  2. Click the Domain Details icon (Expanded Website View icon) to get to the Expanded Website View.

For more information on managing your website, read our Managing a Website documentation.

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