Staging
A staging copy is a private copy of a website where you can try a new plugin, theme or design without risking the live site. When it works, you push the changes live.
Staging is included on every server. It doesn’t need a new server and costs nothing extra.
How staging works on Netkeel
Section titled “How staging works on Netkeel”- One staging copy per website. It runs on the same server as the live website.
- Its own address. The staging copy gets its own preview address with HTTPS. You don’t need to change any DNS.
- Private from the start. Visitors need a username and password, and search engines are always told not to index it.
- Two directions. Refresh staging from live to start from the latest content, or push staging to live to publish your work. You choose files, the database, or only some database tables.
- A backup first. Before every push or refresh, Netkeel backs up the website that is about to be overwritten, so you can undo it from Backups.
Find the staging copy
Section titled “Find the staging copy”Open the live website. Above its title are two tabs: Live and Staging. Click Staging to open the staging copy’s own page.
On the staging copy’s page, the menu has an extra item, Staging settings, with its sign-in details, SSL, deployment history and the delete button. The other sections work just as they do on any website, so you can change plugins, PHP settings or files on staging without touching live.
A safe routine
Section titled “A safe routine”- Refresh staging from live so it matches the current site.
- Make your changes on staging and test them.
- Push live only what changed: files, the database, or selected tables. On a shop or a site with comments, avoid pushing the whole database, which would overwrite new orders and comments made on live since the refresh.
- Check the live site. If something is wrong, restore the backup taken before the push.