Hi,
You can clone your WordPress website to some sub directory or in your local computer to development/modification using following plugin.
https://wordpress.org/plugins/duplicator/
Once you are done with the modifications and your new website is ready to get launched, you can move WorPress website from sub directory to root directory.
Here is a excellent guide you can follow to move WordPress website from sub directory to root:
http://premium.wpmudev.org/blog/how-to-safely-move-wordpress/
[ Moderator note: UTM tracking deleted on link ]
Thanks,
Thread Starter
mwrmwr
(@mwrmwr)
That sounds fine except for the last step: Once you are done with the modifications and your new website is ready to get launched, you can move WorPress website from sub directory to root directory.
That wouldn’t work because the live/old site would have been getting updated and new content during the new-site development time. So I’d need to first move the content (not look) from the live site to the development site.
Your on hostgator so you should have cpanel hosting. There is probably a cloning tool in your cpanel that will do exactly what you want, contact hostgator support and go that route, a couple of clicks and your done. Remember if you are cloning to just have a development site, once that site is cloned, you may want to go to your DEV-SITE dashboard > SETTINGS > READING > Click on DISABLE SEARCH ENGINES to keep google out.
Hi,
Once you are done with modification in development website, you can sync the changes made in live website database and uploads folder. Thus, you will get all latest changes made in your Live website.
As an alternative, to avoid live/old website updating you can bring it down to maintenance mode.
Thanks,
Thread Starter
mwrmwr
(@mwrmwr)
Thanks! A few more questions…
– How do you “sync the changes made in live website database and uploads folder”?
– How do you “bring it down to maintenance mode”? And bring what down to maintenance mode?