_ NOTE: We are currently working on updating our Staging feature and hope to release it with vast improvements soon. In the meantime, please read the alternatives below for working on Staging sites with Dollie._

Why WordPress Developers Should Use Staging Sites

Using a staging site offers numerous benefits for WordPress agencies and developers. It provides a safe environment to test updates, plugins, and new features without affecting the live site. This practice reduces the risk of introducing bugs or errors that could disrupt the user experience or functionality of the live site.

Additionally, staging sites allow for thorough testing and client approvals before changes go live, ensuring higher quality outcomes and client satisfaction. Overall, staging sites serve as essential tools for maintaining professionalism and reliability in web development.

Risks of Updating Your Live WordPress Site from Staging

Updating your live WordPress site from a staging environment, especially when you have features like an online store or user forums, can lead to problems. When you make changes on your staging site, your live site might still be getting new user data like purchases or comments. If you push your staging changes to the live site without considering these updates, you could lose recent data.

Best Practice: Always Backup Before Pushing Changes

It's crucial to back up your live site before you make any changes from your staging site. This backup acts as a safety net, so if something goes wrong during the update, you won't lose your current data. Do the same for your staging site before you bring in any new data from your live site. Make sure your backups are complete and checked for errors to ensure they can be used to restore your site if needed.

Dollie's Staging tool provides a complete online staging solution. It is a safe way of test out significant changes/updates to your website, plugin, and theme, without working on the live (Production) version of your site. When you are confident the changes will have no adverse impact on your site they can then be published back to the Production site. To use the Dollie Staging feature, follow these simple steps;

• Select the site you wish to create a Staging environment for from the Sites Dashboard.
• There you will find a Staging tab where you can Create, Delete, Recreate, and Publish your staging site to Production (the live copy of your site).