WordPress development/maintenance workflow

  • Resolved geocliptic

    (@geocliptic)


    9 years, 10 months ago

    I’ve decided that modifying a live WordPress blog is getting dangerous and to that end have successfully installed a Mac localhost site at /Library/WebServer/Documents – that is to say no XAMP, MAMP, etc. I thought my new setup was finished, but now I’m finding out that it is just beginning. And there isn’t a clear answer to this that I can find.

    I’m not a WordPress guru, so I would like to understand the *normal* workflow to maintain a live site with a localhost. Do I change files locally and upload to the remote site? Do I copy the remote database to my localhost to pickup new registered users/comments? Should new Posts be created locally or remotely? New plugins installed from where? Updating plugins will modify files but also could modify the database. How is that reconciled?

    I have found bits and pieces of solutions from mysql replication, mirroring, sync plugins, etc. but without a workflow plan, the solution is not clear.

    I don’t have a problem at my site so no link is provided. If this is the wrong place to ask this question, my apologies, please redirect me.

    Regards,
    Ron

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
  • esmi

    (@esmi)

    9 years, 10 months ago

    Do I change files locally and upload to the remote site?

    What files are you referring to?

    Do I copy the remote database to my localhost to pickup new registered users/comments?

    Yes but there’s a bit more to than that. See Moving_WordPress for the full details.

    Should new Posts be created locally or remotely?

    I’d suggest you add your new Posts remotely so that you are not having to mess about with database importing (which is pretty messy in WordPress) all of the time.

    New plugins installed from where?

    You could just install copies of the plugins both locally and remotely and simply replicate the setting you have successfully used locally on the remote site.

    Thread Starter geocliptic

    (@geocliptic)

    9 years, 10 months ago

    emsi, thank you for the fast response. My answers:

    What files are you referring to?

    For example, I’m modifying the css in my theme, I’m making my theme responsive, etc.

    Yes but there’s a bit more to than that. See Moving_WordPress for the full details.

    That’s a problem. I don’t want to “move” my WordPress site daily. I would like to think there is technology out there that would ‘sync’ my sites for me. In real time or on a schedule. A solution for this would be great and needed, but, again, I need to identify the steps (at a high level) to perform these tasks. Finding the solution becomes easier.
    Does this make sense? I don’t want to run around looking for a solution to copy files from my remote to my local site when that would be the wrong answer from a workflow perspective.

    I’d suggest you add your new Posts remotely so that you are not having to mess about with database importing (which is pretty messy in WordPress) all of the time.

    I agree. I think that’s pretty much a database function anyway.

    You could just install copies of the plugins both locally and remotely and simply replicate the setting you have successfully used locally on the remote site.

    OK, that’s reasonable. I’m not installing plugins that often anyway.

    It would seem at a high level that files would flow from local to remote and database changes would flow from remote to local. Not sure that this covers all instances. This is what I mean about workflow. If someone wants to modify their theme, their workflow habits would be automatic. I’m just wondering what the most popular, sensical, practical way of maintaining two sites.

    Regards,
    Ron

    Thread Starter geocliptic

    (@geocliptic)

    9 years, 10 months ago

    Resolved.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
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