Best Practices for WordPress Website Redesign: Local vs. Subdomain Development

Content creators, designers, and developers often face the daunting task of redesigning a WordPress website. When approaching such a project, one of the critical decisions to make is the development environment. Should the redesign be performed locally or on a subdomain? In this article, we explore the pros and cons of each approach, providing you with the best practices to ensure a smooth and efficient redesign process.

Understanding the Redesign Process

Before delving into the specifics of local and subdomain development, it's essential to understand the overall process of a WordPress website redesign. Typically, the process includes:

Planning and Planning (copy the theme files and database via an SQL dump) Development (in either a local or subdomain environment) Staging (for client presentation and third-party feedback) Launching (deploying the final version to the live website)

Local Development

Local development is a popular choice for several reasons. By developing the website locally, you can:

Test changes immediately without the need for repeated uploads. Work in a controlled environment without the risk of impacting your live site. Access a web server environment that closely mirrors the live environment.

To further enhance your workflow, consider using development tools like Codekit or Grunt. These tools can speed up your development process and help you manage dependencies and tasks efficiently.

Security

Developing locally also offers enhanced security. You won't have to worry about others peeking at your development environment. However, you need to ensure that the local web server environment is consistent with the live server environment. This includes setting up the correct versions of server software, web, and database.

It's advisable to maintain regular backups of your local development environment. In the event that you need to revert to previous versions, a backup is a lifesaver.

Working with Teams

If you need to collaborate with other developers or designers, consider sharing a separate database on a different server. This way, you can work locally, but the changes you make can be seamlessly uploaded to the staging environment for review.

Subdomain Development

A subdomain development approach is another common choice for website redesigns. This method involves setting up a subdomain to host your development work. Some key considerations include:

Monitors changes more closely, as all changes are visible to all team members or stakeholders. Reduces the risk of forgetting to upload changes, as they are automatically present on the staging server.

However, this method may not be as secure as local development and can be more complex to set up. It's important to ensure that the subdomain is configured to reflect the live environment as closely as possible to avoid any discrepancies during the launch.

Strategic Considerations

The choice between developing locally or on a subdomain depends on various factors:

Team Dynamics: Local development allows for more independence, while subdomain development fosters collaboration and transparency. Security: Local development is generally more secure, but requires careful configuration. Speed: Local development can be faster due to immediate change visibility, while subdomain development may require more time for changes to be reviewed and uploaded.

For most projects, local development remains the preferred method due to its flexibility and security. However, if collaboration is a critical factor, a subdomain approach can be more effective.

Final Tips

To ensure a successful WordPress website redesign, consider the following tips:

Always have a backup of your local development copy. Use version control tools like GitHub to manage changes and ensure a consistent workflow. Test your design on multiple platforms to ensure cross-browser compatibility.

Conclusion

The best approach to WordPress website redesign depends on your project's specific needs, team dynamics, and security requirements. Whether you choose local or subdomain development, following best practices and strategies can help you navigate the process smoothly and efficiently.