Hi Davey.
Ok, so you have two potential options when setting up a development copy of the website.
Firstly, both options will require you to take a full backup of the website files and MySQL database. You can do this via FTP and control panel access on your server.
Once you have those files, please follow either options below:
Option #1 – Live Development Website:
Either create a sub-domain or a directory within the root of your server where the new website will be held. I would advise using “development” but this is up to you.
Then, using FTP – upload all of your files into that directory or sub-domain.
Next, you will need to create a new database in your server control panel. You will then need to do a find and replace for all URL references in the MySQL database and replace with the new URL that we have created for development. Once completed, you will need to upload via your control panel.
Then, you will need to open up your wp-config.php file within the root, changing all of the database details, that you have just set up.
You will then need to do a couple of other things, such as setting the correct privileges and refresh the permalinks structure.
That should be all you need to create a development website.
Option #2 – Local Development Website:
You will need to follow the instructions above, however doing so on your local environment. You will require the setup of something like MAMP or WAMP.
For ease, I would advise following Option #1, unless you have MAMP or WAMP already set up.
If you would like help with getting this set up, then let me know, otherwise let me know how you got on.
