How to Duplicate a WordPress Website in 5 Minutes
If you’ve ever tried to make a website, you’ll know that it isn’t easy. You have to think about all the little details, like the header and footer, as well as the content itself. What if I told you there was a way to make a duplicate of your existing website, in a matter of minutes? Sounds like something out of a dream, right?
Well, it’s not a dream. It’s a possibility. And it’s something that can be done by anyone with some know-how.
In this article, you’re going to learn about a simple technique that can help you duplicate a WordPress website. So go ahead and read on if this sounds interesting.
What Is WordPress?
Before we get started, it’s important to understand what WordPress is. Essentially, WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that allows you to easily create and manage websites. To put it in simple terms, WordPress is a database that stores all the content (blog posts, etc.) for your website. With WordPress, all the technical stuff is taken care of. Meaning, you don’t have to be a technical expert to maintain a WordPress website. It just works!
WordPress also has a built-in security system that makes it more resistant to hackers and malware. So if you decide to go down the road of building a WordPress website, you can be sure that your data is safe.
Why Should You Choose WordPress For Your Duplicate Website?
Well, let’s just say that WordPress is the de facto standard for websites these days. It has achieved such a remarkable level of popularity that there’s practically no other choice when it comes to building a new website. WordPress has a large selection of pre-made themes and templates for you to choose from. Meaning, if you don’t want to use the default options, you can find another theme that suits your needs. Or, if you’re feeling creative, you can even create your own unique design.
Also, because WordPress is open-source and free, you have complete control over the design and functionality of your website. With WordPress, you can choose the hosting company and the domain name that your website will be displayed under. This means you can be 100% certain that you have full control over the look and feel of your site.
How To Duplicate A WordPress Website
Now that you have an understanding of WordPress and why it’s considered to be such an invaluable piece of Software, let’s get down to business. How does one go about duplicating a WordPress website?
To keep things simple, let’s assume that you already have a working WordPress website. If you don’t have a functioning WordPress website, you can find the instructions below to get you up and running in no time. So, for the purposes of this tutorial, we’ll call your original WordPress website “the source website”. And, for the duplicate website, we’ll call it “the target website”.
As a first step, you’ll want to login to your source website. Once you’re logged in, head over to the plugins section and look for a plugins directory. You’ll find an extensive directory of WordPress plugins that can be used to enhance your site. Look for a plugins directory that’s completely unbranded and free. Go ahead and download the plugin, and install it on your source website. If you’re happy with the results, you can then move on to the next step.
In the next step, you’ll want to login to your target website and do the same thing. You’ll want to find a plugins directory, and you’ll want to look for a plugins directory that’s completely unbranded and free. Once you’ve installed the plugins on your target website, you can then head back over to your original website and install the same plugins. This will ensure that both websites are using the same plugins, and will create a seamless experience for your users. Once you’ve installed the plugins on both sites, you can then test-run the site, and see how it looks and functions. If there’re no major issues, you can then move on to the final step.
What If The Plugin Directory Doesn’t Exist On The Target Website?
If the plugin directory doesn’t exist on the target website, it’s important to understand what this means. Since both websites are now using the same plugins, if you try to login to the target website and there’s no plugins directory, it will display an error. This is a critical step because it means that either the target website hasn’t been activated yet, or the directory where the plugins are installed isn’t accessible from within the target website. One way to solve this issue is to use the WordPress plugin Directory Enabler. This is a free plugin that will create a directory of plugins on the target website, just for the sake of having one.
When you use the plugin, simply go to the “Add New” section, and click the “Create Directory” button. This will create a directory called “Plugins” in the same folder as your WordPress installation on the target website. So, for example, if you’ve installed WordPress on a blank hosting account and named the directory “plugins”, the plugin will create a directory named “plugins” inside the “wp-content” folder on the target website. This will ensure that your target website has every available plugin installed, even if they aren’t in the official WordPress repository. If you’re looking for a complete guide to installing WordPress on a server, check out this blog post by WordPress.
Duplicating A WordPress Website Step-by-Step
With the source website and the target website prepared, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work. Below, you’ll find a detailed guide to duplicating a WordPress website. This will include instructions on how to login to both websites, and how to find and install the necessary plugins. As mentioned above, to keep things simple, we’ll assume that you have a functioning WordPress website. So, let’s get started.
Step 1. Login To The Source And Target Websites
As the first step, you’ll want to login to both your source and target websites. On the source website, navigate to the “wp-login” page, and enter your login details. After you’ve logged in, head over to the “admin” page. Here, you’ll see a variety of options that can be used to configure your website. Explore the settings and make sure that they’re all set to your liking. You can always come back and change settings later on, if necessary.
On the target website, navigate to the “wp-login” page and enter your login details. After you’ve logged in, head over to the “admin” page. Here, you’ll see the same settings as on the source website. So, everything should look the same. Congratulations! You’ve successfully duplicated a WordPress website.
Step 2. Find The Plugin Directory On The Source Website
As mentioned above, since both websites are now using the same plugins, if you go to the “plugins” folder on the source website, you’ll see a variety of plugins installed. Navigate to the plugins section and look for a plugins directory. Alternatively, you can visit the WordPress.org Plugin directory and search for a plugin that meets your needs. Remember, you’re on a quest for a free and unbranded directory that can be used on both websites. Once you’ve found the directory, it’s time to move on to the next step.
Step 3. Install The Necessary Plugins On The Target Website
Now that you’ve found the plugins directory on the source website, it’s time to do something with it. Go ahead and click the “Install” button to begin the process of installing the plugins on the target website. Once the plugins are installed, it’s time to head back over to the original website and install the same plugins. This will create a seamless experience for your users, as well as make it easier to manage both websites from one place. Once you’ve installed the plugins on both sites, you can then test-run the site, and see how it looks and functions.
If there are no major issues, then great! You can then move on to the final step.