How To Add My Website To Local From Pressable

8 min read Oct 03, 2024
How To Add My Website To Local From Pressable

How to Add Your Website to Local From Pressable

Developing and testing websites locally can be a much smoother experience than working directly on a live server. If you're using Pressable for hosting, you might wonder how to get a copy of your website onto your local machine for development. Fortunately, this is a relatively straightforward process. Let's break down the steps involved.

1. Understanding the Process

Before we dive into the details, it's important to understand what we're aiming to achieve. We want to create a local environment that accurately mirrors your Pressable website. This includes replicating the site's files, database, and any relevant configurations.

2. Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

  • Local Development Environment: A local development environment, such as Local by Flywheel, MAMP, XAMPP, or WAMP, installed on your computer.
  • Git: A version control system like Git installed on your computer. You can download it from .
  • FTP Client: An FTP client (File Transfer Protocol) like Filezilla or Cyberduck to transfer files between your computer and Pressable server.

3. Accessing Your Website Files

  1. Log in to your Pressable dashboard: Go to your Pressable account and navigate to the website you want to download.
  2. Navigate to the "Files" section: Look for the "Files" or "FTP" section in your website's dashboard.
  3. Download Website Files: Pressable offers several ways to download your website files:
    • FTP: Use an FTP client to connect to your Pressable server and download all files and folders.
    • SFTP: If your Pressable server offers SFTP access, you can use an SFTP client like Filezilla to download your files.
    • Direct Download: Some Pressable plans offer a direct download option for your website files. Check your plan details for this option.

4. Downloading Your Database

  1. Access Database: Log in to your Pressable dashboard and navigate to the database section.
  2. Export Database: Pressable typically provides a way to export your database as a SQL file. This file contains all the data from your website's database.
  3. Save the SQL file: Download the SQL file to your computer and store it safely.

5. Setting up Your Local Environment

  1. Create a New Project: Use your local development environment to create a new project directory for your website.
  2. Import Website Files: Copy the website files you downloaded from Pressable into the project directory.
  3. Import Database: Open your local database management tool (e.g., phpMyAdmin in MAMP/XAMPP) and create a new database. Import the SQL file you downloaded from Pressable into this database.
  4. Configure Database Connection: Update the database connection details in your website's configuration files (e.g., wp-config.php for WordPress sites) to match the database you just created locally.

6. Testing and Verification

  1. Start Your Local Server: Launch your local development environment server.
  2. Access Your Website: Open your web browser and navigate to the local address of your website (e.g., http://localhost:8888).
  3. Check Functionality: Make sure your website loads correctly, all pages are accessible, and any plugins or themes function as expected.
  4. Debugging: If you encounter any errors or issues, use your local development tools to debug and troubleshoot them.

7. Using Git for Version Control

Once you have your website set up locally, you can use Git to track changes. This is especially useful for development workflows:

  1. Initialize Git: Navigate to your local project directory and use the git init command to initialize Git.
  2. Add Files: Use the git add command to stage all the files you want to track.
  3. Commit Changes: Use the git commit command to save your changes with a descriptive message.
  4. Create a Remote Repository: Consider setting up a remote repository on services like GitHub or Bitbucket.
  5. Push Changes: Use the git push command to push your local changes to the remote repository.

8. Important Considerations

  • Pressable-Specific Configurations: Some Pressable configurations (e.g., caching plugins) might need adjustments for a local environment.
  • Database Dump: Ensure you regularly back up your database on Pressable.
  • File Structure: The file structure of your local environment should mirror the file structure on Pressable.
  • Security: Be mindful of security when working with database information.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can successfully add your Pressable website to your local environment for development and testing. This allows you to work on your website offline, experiment with changes, and ensure a smooth and efficient development process. Remember to keep your local environment synchronized with the live server to avoid any discrepancies.