[slєιgнŢ oƒ н∆ηĐ]

The Duplicator Plugin for Wordpress

What is Duplicator?
A free WordPress plugin that makes it easy to backup, copy, and migrate WordPress sites.

Why is this useful?
Sometimes you may find yourself in a position where you need to transfer an existing WordPress site to a new host/domain.

Can it be done without a plugin?
Yes, the “simple” way to do this is to use the built-in WordPress export tool: First export the data from your old copy of WordPress to a file on your computer, then create the new empty copy of WordPress on your new web server and import the data from the file you exported.

The problem with this:
If you use the built-in tool, you’ll find that it only copies some of your site content. It doesn’t copy your theme files, plugins and settings. That may be okay in some cases, but if you've made extensive changes, you’ll have to reconfigure those, which can be time-consuming. Especially with permalinks.

One way to solve this is to copy the underlying WordPress files and database from the old server to the new one. You’d use FTP for the files and phpMyAdmin for the database, then follow the detailed technical tips on the WordPress site. That will work fine, but is a manual process that’s only recommended for experts.

So what does Duplicator do?
Duplicator makes an exact "duplicate" of the existing site. Simply Stated. With a few clicks, you get a package that is a real time update of your site, along with the entire WordPress installation.
note I am not the author of Duplicator, but I do highly recommend it to customers and colleagues who wish to copy their site this way.

Here is how to make a copy of your site with Duplicator. The exact steps you follow may differ depending on your host.

Install the Duplicator plugin

1. Download the latest version of the Duplicator plugin.
2. Login to your existing WordPress site.
3. From the left side, choose Plugins, then click Add New.
4. In the Search bar type duplicator - then click Search Plugins.
5. Duplicator should be at the top of the list, click the link that says Install Now.
6. Once the installation is complete, choose Activate Plugin.

Creating the Backup

1. Click the Create Package button, then Create Package Set.
2. If you’re moving to another server, click the Installer and Package buttons to download the files. If you’re staying on the same server, skip to the next step.
3. Use FTP or another file manager to access your website. If you downloaded the installer and package, upload them to the directory where your new site will live. If you’re staying on the same server, notice the new wp-snapshots directory next to your wp-admin and wp-content directories.
4. Copy the files ending installer.php and package.zip to the directory where your new site will be hosted in the public_html folder. Rename the file ending "installer.php" to simply installer.php.

[img]http://optimwise.com/optimwise/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Duplicator-plugin-package-set.png[/img]

Create a new blank database on the new host/server

1. In your hosting cPanel, create a new SQL database.
2. Create a new database user.
3. Give the user all privileges to the database you created. note these steps will vary depending on your hosting provider, contact your host for more support on creating a SQL database if you have problems with this step.

Install the package

1. In your browser, enter the URL of the new website, followed by /installer.php. For example, if I’m creating www.sleightofhand.net, I’d browse to www.sleightofhand.net/installer.php.
2. Change the fields in the Settings section if desired.
3. Enter the database information, (from the one you just created) and click Test Settings.
4. Check the box I have read all warnings & notices.
5. Click Install and wait for the installation.
6. Follow the steps on the next page to finish the installation.
7. IMPORTANT! Delete the files you uploaded from the wp_snapshots folder that are in your new public_html folder (security risk by leaving them there)

[img]http://cdn2.wpbeginner.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/update-urls.png[/img]

Test your site

1. At this point the “duplication” is complete. You should test your site to make sure everything looks and works as expected.

Troubleshooting

1. If Duplicator doesn’t work the first time you run it, try again. Sometimes it works the second time.
2. Duplicator may not be able to create packages for sites with a lot of content; it may time out. Try going into the Duplicator settings and excluding wp-content. After using Duplicator to migrate the package, manually move wp-content via FTP.
3. Since I didn’t create this plugin, and haven’t used it in all its possible ways, I haven’t experienced many of the problems that others have. So, I’m not the best person to ask for support, however I will try my best. I suggest that you ask in the Duplicator plugin’s support forum, LifeInTheGrid support (they make the Duplicator plugin), or the general WordPress.org Support Forums.

For more details, see the User Guide at www.LifeInTheGrid.com (the plugin author’s site). Here’s the official overview video:

[Dimitrije]

This guy is god of wordpress! Helped me a lot. Very useful thread.

[HopprJohn]

This guy is god of wordpress! Helped me a lot. Very useful thread.

I second that!
Huge vouch for OP. He's a friend of mine and helps me quite a lot when it comes to wordpress.
It's nice talking to a person with such good knowledge.
✌

[slєιgнŢ oƒ н∆ηĐ]

Thanks fellas. btw, it is good to make duplicator backups before you perform any changes to your site once things are established. It can save you from major headakes.

as always, give me a shout if you need any assistance.