WordPress development

[dandelion]

I’m an experienced web designer but a total beginner at WordPress and could use some advice. I’m creating a WordPress site for a friend, but they already have a site in place and we don’t want to just override that while we develop this new site. I figured I’d create a folder in my own domain and develop the site there and move the files to the correct server when it was ready, like I have done with static sites. But I have a different host and if I define a database does that mean I’d have to start over on their server? And what exactly is "installing" WordPress? Is it downloading the files? Is it uploading them to the host? Is it hooking up to a SQL server? Something later?

Any advice anyone has to offer for me at this stage, especially the best way to develop a site without it being in it’s final root directory will be much appreciated.

[TheDoc]

Even easier would be to develop on their server, just in a dev folder, like:

http://www.yourfriendsdomain.com/dev/

Make sure to password protect the folder with htaccess.

Install (upload) all of the WordPress files into that folder and get on your way. Before installing WP, you’ll need to create a new database for it (it will ask you for the db name, username and password, so you’ll need it during install). It can seem a little daunting at first, but installing WP on a server is extremely easy.

[dandelion]

Thanks TheDoc for your helpful reply! I am feeling better abut getting started. I’m guessing that in doing it this way, all I have to do when I feel the site is ready is move all the files up one level, because the database will already be in place on the correct server. Please let me know if this does not sound correct.

[TheDoc]

That sounds about right to me. You might need to edit one line in the config file (changing from http://www.name.com/dev/ to http://www.name.com), but I think that’s about it.

[Author]

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