A staging site is a copy of your live WordPress website that can be used to test updates, design changes, new plugins and website functionality without affecting visitors. Staging environments provide a safe location for development and troubleshooting before changes are applied to the live website.
Once testing has been successfully completed, it can be pushed live so that the approved changes replace the content and configuration on the production website. This process helps reduce the risk of website errors and unexpected downtime.
Domains.co.za WordPress Hosting includes WordPress management tools that make it easier to create and manage staging environments. Understanding how to push a staging site live helps ensure a smooth transition from testing to production.
When a staging site is pushed live, the content, files and database changes from the staging environment are copied to the live website. Depending on the staging tool being used, you may be able to choose whether to deploy all changes or only specific components.
Before pushing a staging site live, it is important to confirm that all testing has been completed successfully and that a current backup of the live website is available.
The following steps explain how to access your hosting environment and deploy a staging site to the live website.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
How to Push a Staging Site Live
1. Login to the Domains.co.za Customer Portal.
2. Open the Manage Services dropdown menu.
3. Choose WordPress Hosting from the available options.
4. Click Manage next to the domain associated with your WordPress Hosting package.
5. Select Login next to Control Panel to access cPanel.
6. Open WordPress Toolkit from within cPanel.
7. Locate the WordPress installation that contains the staging environment.
8. Select the staging site that you wish to deploy.
9. Review the staging site and confirm that all testing has been completed successfully.
10. Create a backup of the live website before proceeding with the deployment.
11. Select the option to copy or push the staging site to the live website.
12. Review the deployment options and choose the required files and database settings.
13. Confirm the deployment process and allow the staging site to be copied to the live environment.
14. Wait for the deployment to complete successfully.
15. Test the live website thoroughly to confirm that all changes have been applied correctly.
Additional Information
- A staging site allows website changes to be tested without affecting visitors on the live website.
- Staging environments can help reduce the risk of website downtime caused by updates or configuration changes.
- Creating a backup before deploying a staging site provides a recovery point if issues occur.
- Testing should always be completed before pushing changes to the live website.
- Database changes made on the live website after the staging site was created should be considered before deployment.
- Website forms, ecommerce functionality and user logins should be tested after deployment.
- Deploying a staging site may overwrite content and configuration settings on the live website depending on the deployment options selected.
- WordPress Toolkit simplifies the process of managing and deploying staging websites.
- A staging environment is particularly useful when testing major theme updates, plugin changes or website redesigns.
- Reviewing deployment options carefully can help prevent unintended changes from being copied to the live website.
Login to Domains.co.za Account
1. Go to the Domains.co.za website Account Login page.
2. Enter your Email and Password and click the Sign In button.
3. You will see the Domains.co.za Dashboard, displaying the Manage Account menu on the left and your Account Information, Account Overview and Open Support Tickets on the right.
