Title: WordPress development/maintenance workflow
Last modified: August 21, 2016

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# WordPress development/maintenance workflow

 *  Resolved [geocliptic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/geocliptic/)
 * (@geocliptic)
 * [12 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-developmentmaintenance-workflow/)
 * 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](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [12 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-developmentmaintenance-workflow/#post-4982895)
 * > 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](http://codex.wordpress.org/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](https://wordpress.org/support/users/geocliptic/)
 * (@geocliptic)
 * [12 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-developmentmaintenance-workflow/#post-4982947)
 * 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](https://wordpress.org/support/users/geocliptic/)
 * (@geocliptic)
 * [12 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-developmentmaintenance-workflow/#post-4983060)
 * Resolved.

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

The topic ‘WordPress development/maintenance workflow’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Localhost Installs](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/localhost-installs/)
 * 3 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [geocliptic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/geocliptic/)
 * Last activity: [12 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-developmentmaintenance-workflow/#post-4983060)
 * Status: resolved

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