Quick explanation of how the Cloner works to clarify some misunderstandings referenced above:
- Most WP sites have lots of URL references (internal links in content and custom fields, options values, image URLs pointing to the media library, etc.), so while it’s very easy to manually change the subsite URL, for the majority of sites that’s just the tip of the iceberg and requires a lot of manual or scripted replacement to actually update all the URLs throughout the entire database of a cloned site. The NS Cloner automates that process, saving a lot of time for people who need it.
- While cloning, the plugin periodically initiates HTTP requests to itself so it can break the cloning into chunks/sessions and be able to clone even large sites without exceeding server timeouts. If a site is unable to access itself via HTTP (due to server restrictions or limitations of local dev environments), the Cloner automatically makes AJAX requests to continue that chunking process in lieu of having it done in the background directly from the server. Obviously AJAX implies server-side handling and the cloning itself is being done by PHP in any case; the AJAX backup mode is just a smart courtesy feature to enable the plugin to work on a wider range of sites.
- We offer pretty good support for a free plugin and are always willing to take a look at a cloning log you send over and see if we can help you figure out what’s going on. If it’s a true bug in the plugin, we’ll fix it. However, leaving 1-star reviews instead of a support request doesn’t really help you take advantage of that 🙂
