Hey guys, I’m an experienced Shopify user and a novice wordpress user. Currently in the process of editing a WordPress site and I am starting off with a custom-built site that I have purchased and I would love to back the website up before I delve in and make any changes myself. The website is hosted on siteground. What is the best way to do this? Thanks in advance!
You just need to backup your files and database using FTP tools. You can download it to your local server.
Since you want to build new WP website, then there is nothing to do again with your previous WP. You can ask your new provider to setup new WP for you or you can just install your WP via control panel directly.
Siteground has a full backup/restore feature in their dashboard. If you really mess up something in wordpress and cant even login to the wordpress dashboard you can still restore in siteground.
That said, never trust provider backups for routine backups. They are great when they work but you should have your own backup outside of provider infrastructure. Updraft is a simple backup plugin for wordpress that can connect to your google drive for free to store the backup files off the server in case things get really messed up.
**You can also backup any wordpress site by copying all of the wordpress files**/**folders** & **database**. The root folder of wordpress will have wp-config.php. The files in that folder and subfolders are uploads, images, code etc. Basically all the **files** that make up your site.
You also need to backup the database (where page content, posts, settings are stored) This explains the common process: [https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/how-to-make-a-wordpress-database-backup-manually/])
A backup is useless for a full recovery if you don’t have BOTH the filesystem backup AND the database. Also a backup stored on your computer can take a long time to restore if your internet upload speed isn’t good.
I use Duplicator plugin, and regulary, before updatese and changes, I make backup to local PC. SiteGround has backup and you can make ‘image’ besides daily bakcups. Use their stagging tool, it’s handy to make all changes to stagging site before you implement it on production.
Success
PS. Stagging site is ideal for your scenario. How I would do it:
* 1. Duplicator backup, download installer.php and mysite.zip
* 2. Install localwp (https://localwp.com) and import these files into it; develop site there
* 3. When ready, make backup
* 4. Create stagging of your site at Siteground
* 5. Upload (FTP) local backup there
* 6. Adjust what’s neccessary there, when you’re are satisfied deploy it to production
* 7. Make final backups – image at SiteGround and Duplicator files offline
You have here some great backup plugins options:
[https://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/7-best-wordpress-backup-plugins-compared-pros-and-]) (I personally use All in one WP migration plugin)
You have also the possibility on SiteGround to use their built in staging system which is very reliable (at least it has been so far to me):
[https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-create-staging-environment-for-a-wordpress-site/])
[https://www.siteground.com/tutorials/staging/])
I also use SiteGround backup system, but also SaaS backups on some sites – BlogVault.
I have a tendency to be overly cautious when it comes to saving data (I have burned several times), which is why I have multiple backup systems in place. You can never be too careful, after all. 🙂