Create and convert a development website to its main website
Definitions
Development website: A development website is a subdomain used to create a new version of a website without affecting the existing website on the main domain (main website).
Main website: A main website, or main domain, is a primary website, where users find your website.
To provide an example:
- Development website: development.cloudhelpcenter.com
- Main website: cloudhelpcenter.com
After a development website is completed, the subdomain can be converted to the main website to replace the old website with the newly built version.
Before you start
❗Use this guide to convert your development website to its main website for free. If you prefer our team to handle it or need assistance during the process, submit a support ticket (service fees apply).
✅ To create a development website, you will use a subdomain.
⚠️ This steps in this guide are intended for a WordPress website.
🚨 If you run into errors or problems while attempting to convert your development website to its main website, restore from backups right away.
ℹ️ This guide covers each step in a general guidelines format. If you’ve previously completed a step or have a custom setup, go directly to the section that corresponds best to your requirements.
Step by step
Create a development website
Your development website will be a subdomain. It can be a subdomain of whichever domain you’d like, however it must be a domain connected and pointed to your hosting account to work.
1. Open this guide and complete all the steps: Create a subdomain for your domain name
⚠️ Note: Normally, using development as your subdomain prefix is recommended. For example, the development website for cloudhelpcenter.com would be development.cloudhelpcenter.com
2. Once your subdomain is created, open this guide and install WordPress on your subdomain: Install WordPress on your domain name
3. Once you’ve installed WordPress on your subdomain, you can build your development website
4. Bookmark this guide. When your development website is completed, return and complete the next steps.
Convert your development website to its main website
At this stage, your development website on the subdomain is complete and ready to become the main website. This will replace the old website with the newly built version on the main domain.
1. Go to your hosting control panel
2. Click on the File Manager button
3. Double click on the domains folder
4. Find your development domain (subdomain) folder and double click on it
5. Double click on the public_html folder
6. To the left of the Name column, check the box to select all of your files
7. Once you’ve selected all of the files, do a right-click. From the dropdown, select Copy/Move to…
8. You’ll now get a Copy/Move popup. In the New Path field, put in the folder path where the main website domain name’s public_html is located. In our example, cloudhelpcenter.com is the main domain, so the path would be:
/domains/cloudhelpcenter.com/public_html
9. Once you’ve put in the new folder path, click the Move button. Note: Keep the Overwrite toggle ON (it is set like this by default, so do not click it).
⚠️ Note: After you click Move, you may get a message at the bottom of your screen indicating that certain files can’t be overwritten. That’s okay. Simply refresh your page and it’ll clear the message.
10. Return to your hosting control panel homepage
11. Click on the Terminal button
12. In the terminal session, you will put in a series of commands which will update your website links from the development subdomain to the main website. Please review the Important Notes: before continuing.
Important Notes:
✔️ Type the commands in the exact order they appear below, one by one. Once you put in a command, click ‘Return’ or ‘Enter’ on your keyboard.
✔️ In any command you see development.cloudhelpcenter.com and cloudhelpcenter.com – replace them with your own development subdomain and main website name.
✔️ Open a ‘Notes’ application or an editable document on your computer to copy and paste your commands, allowing you to modify them when needed before entering them into your terminal session.
1st command
cd domains
2nd command
ℹ️ Note: Put in your main website name.
cd cloudhelpcenter.com
3rd command
cd public_html
4th command
ℹ️ Note: Your command may go on multiple lines or ‘curl’ depending on your screen resolution. That’s okay.
wp search-replace 'https://development.cloudhelpcenter.com' 'https://cloudhelpcenter.com' --all-tables --dry-run
13. After running the 4th command, verify that you get Success: message and a table replacement number above 0, and then move to the 5th and final command.
ℹ️ Note: The number of replacements depends on the website and database size; it can vary from a few to many but should always be above 0.
5th command
ℹ️ Note: Your command may go on multiple lines or ‘curl’ depending on your screen resolution. That’s okay.
wp search-replace 'https://development.cloudhelpcenter.com' 'https://cloudhelpcenter.com' --all-tables
14. After running the 5th command, verify that you get Success: message again and a table replacement number above 0.
15. You are done with the Terminal section, click on Disconnect and then the Back button to return to your hosting control panel main page.
Check nameserver and DNS settings
Next, check your main domain’s nameserver and DNS settings, including email (MX) records. If your domain is already pointed to our network, no action is needed. If not, run the necessary checks.
1. If your main domain has custom MX records for email, you need to make sure they’re intact or update them. If you use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 email, view their guides for additional steps.
⚠️ Note: Verify your MX records and make sure they are set correctly to keep your email service operational. Double-check before moving to the next step.
2. Once you’ve verified your MX (email records), go to your domain registrar or DNS provider
3. At your domain or DNS provider, update your domain to the correct nameservers or IP address
4. Once you’ve applied DNS updates, you will need to wait 24 hours for the internet to load the update and for SSL coverage to activate, or manually install the SSL certificate yourself.
5. Once you’ve waited 24 hours, load your website on an incognito or private browser window. You will see your newly built website loading on it.
Sync your WordPress Manager
The next step is to sync your WordPress Manager, to update your WordPress installation.
1. Log in to your hosting control panel
2. Click on the WordPress Manager button
3. Find your development domain installation and click the down arrow V
4. Click the Remove button
5. Click the Remove Installation button
6. If you get a popup, click the OK button on the Are you sure you want to remove this installation?
7. Click on the Return to WordPress Management button
8. On the WordPress Management page, click the Scan button
9. On the Import Installations page, click the Start scanning for installations button
10. You’ll see your main website name listed, click the Return to WordPress Management button
11. Your WordPress Manager is now synced up. At this point, you can log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
Remove the default ‘under construction’ page (troubleshoot)
Sometimes, after you’ve completed all the steps above, your website will show an ‘under construction’ page, similar to the one below. If you see this page, instead of your website, follow the steps below to fix it.
1. Go to your hosting control panel
2. Click on the File Manager button
3. Double click on the domains folder
4. Find your domain name folder (of your main website name) and double click on it
5. Double click on the public_html folder
6. Inside of your domain folder, look for a file called index.html
7. Right-click on your index.html and Remove it, here is an example of the process:
8. Refresh your web browser page, you should now see your main website loading and the ‘under construction’ page gone
Remove your development subdomain (optional)
If you no longer have any use for your development subdomain, delete it.
1. Log in to your hosting control panel
2. From the top right, click the down arrow ∨ and choose the domain tied to your subdomain
3. Click on the Subdomains button
4. Check the box next to your subdomain
5. Click the Delete button
6. Check the Remove Directory Content box and click the Confirm button
