A staging site is a clone of your live website used for testing new themes, plugins, features, or updates without affecting the live site. It’s an essential tool for web developers, designers, and website owners who want to ensure changes are bug-free before going public.
In this guide, we will walk you through how to create and deploy a WordPress staging site using cPanel.
Benefits of a Staging Site
Prevents downtime and errors on your live site.
Allows safe testing of new updates and features.
Protects your audience from seeing broken layouts or functions.
Gives you a backup copy before making changes live.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure you have:
Access to cPanel.
A working WordPress website installed on your hosting account.
Sufficient disk space for duplicating your site.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Log in to cPanel
Open your browser and log in to cPanel.
Navigate to Software > WordPress Manager by Softaculous (or search for it in the search bar).
Step 2: Locate Your Live WordPress Installation
In WordPress Manager, find your current live site.
Click the Staging icon next to your installation.
Step 3: Configure the Staging Site Settings
You will be asked to provide:
Directory Name: Example: staging (this will make your staging site accessible at yourdomain.com/staging).
Database Name: A unique database for the staging copy.
Click Create Staging. Softaculous will copy your files and database into the new directory.
Step 4: Access Your Staging Site
Once the process is complete:
You will get a link to your staging site (e.g., yourdomain.com/staging).
Login with your same WordPress admin credentials.
Step 5: Make and Test Changes
You can now:
Install and test new themes.
Update plugins and WordPress core.
Try out custom code changes.
Since it’s not your live site, visitors won’t see these updates until you’re ready.
Step 6: Push Changes to Live
Once you’re happy with the changes:
Go back to WordPress Manager in cPanel.
Click the Push to Live option next to your staging site.
Choose whether to push only files, only the database, or both.
Confirm the action — your live site will be updated.
DNS & SSL Note
If your staging site is in a subdomain (e.g., staging.yourdomain.com), ensure DNS records are correctly configured in cPanel’s Zone Editor.
Install an SSL certificate via cPanel > SSL/TLS Status to avoid browser security warnings.
General Troubleshooting
Error 500 after staging creation: Check .htaccess file or PHP version in Select PHP Version.
Broken links/images: Use a plugin like Better Search Replace to update URLs.
Login issues: Clear cookies/cache or reset your password in the staging database via phpMyAdmin.
Deploying a WordPress staging site in cPanel is simple and highly recommended for safe website development. It helps you test everything without risking your live website’s performance or functionality.
By following these steps, you can confidently make updates, test new features, and then push changes to your live environment with minimal risk.