Would you like to learn how to manage and restore a version of WordPress with VersionPress to save all versions of your blog?
the plugin VersionPress is a WordPress Plugin which brings better version control to the most widely used CMS in the world.
Let's take a quick look at what this plugin offers and how you can help improve it.
The benefits of version control
Today, you can find version control almost everywhere. Not only has it become universally used in all software projects, WordPress itself included, but it is also available in several consumer products such as DropBox or Wikipedia to name a few.
The advantages are obvious - when something does not work, just go back to a previous version.
Unfortunately for WordPress admins, they can't take advantage of these benefits today. Just because people don't want version control on their WordPress websites, it's just that it's something very difficult to do, technically.
A typical WordPress website is a combination of several files on the server and on the database.
For example, if you update a plugin and during its update it modifies the database and crashes because it contains a bug, it is currently very difficult to revert to a previous and functional version of the website.
The VersionPress plugin makes this process quite simple, really simple. It also offers several other features such as efficient backup. But in this mini tutorial we will be much more interested in the basics.
But before, if you have never installed WordPress discover How to Install a WordPress Blog in 7 Steps et How to search, install and activate a WordPress theme on your blog
Then back to why we are here.
Cancel and return
the plugin VersionPress works by keeping track of every action that goes on the website, whether it's some content update, comment, user action, change of settings, theme customization or pretty much everything. For each action, it offers two main features:
- Cancel Edit
- Return to exact state
Note: This capture was taken when using the current prototype where the items don't make sense. They will be much better when released publicly.
The lien Cancel (Undo) selectively undo a single action in history. For example, if you deleted an article on that version, the Cancel button brings it back.
Discover How to optimize a database with one click on WordPress
Note that this is actually not smarter than what MS Word can do with its Undo function.
VersionPress can undo some elements selectively, without affecting the most recent ones.
The lien Come back to (Revert to) returns the website to the previous state. For example, if you downgrade to a version before installing some plugins, it will uninstall them. And there will be no trace on the system of these files nor in the database as if the plugin had never been in your system.
Easy tests and uploading
Although the user interface is not yet finalized, we are going to talk about another important feature of VersionPress.
Revised Website Maintenance Services: Why You Might Need It and How to Benefit from it
Even with the function Cancel In place, it is often best to test the changes before applying them to your website. By testing them first, you reduce possible downtime, messy layout - anything that could irritate your users..
Experimenting properly on WordPress websites is something that has always been a bit difficult and that advanced users don't do too much. While it is relatively easy to clone a blog in a certain test environment, doing it the other way around is often difficult. Why?
Also find out what a blog ? Definition and explanation
Because after the test is done (which may take a few minutes, but also hours or days for big updates) you can not just take the test database and transfer it to the online blog because, if new comments, messages, registered users etc ... were left after you cloned your website, you would lose all these changes.
So to do it properly, you must merge the changes tested to the production website. But doing a database merge is usually a very difficult thing to do.
If some changes to your website do not apply, find out why by visiting this link.
Fortunately, with VersionPress, things get a lot easier. Because VersionPress stores data in a unified repository and in a smart internal format, it can merge two web sites automatically most of the time (not always, but there is a user interface to resolve possible conflicts).
Just click in your admin area on the button "Create a test environment". VersionPress will clone the website behind the scenes and create a trial version somewhere where you can make any changes you want.
Go further in the tests by discovering our 10 WordPress plugins and A / B test tools for your blog
When you are satisfied, click on the button "Merge into the main website" and all your changes will be merged in the background for you, keeping all new updates on the main website intact. You can also imagine how this might help your team - if there are 5 developers, for example, they could just merge their changes together, like they would in a standard project.
Ideal for backup
While VersionPress wasn't designed for backup purposes in the first place, it turns out to be indeed great for them - and may do them better than some. traditional backup solutions.
This is because it has two very excellent characteristics:
- La "Backup" (new version) is created after each action, not at a fixed point in time
- VersionPress can store hundreds of versions in just a few megabytes of disk space
Compare this to traditional backup solutions where you only have point-in-time backups.
For example, if you have a rather small website where MySQL and a few files weigh around 20MB compressed and you do this backup every night, you will need 600MB of disk space to store a month's worth of work. . And that 600MB will not contain every state of the website.
Go further with the backups by discovering 8 WordPress plugins to backup and restore your website
So these backups are just snapshots taken once a day and you will not be able to restore your system state.
With VersionPress the same will be around 20-30MB and you can restore the website anytime of the day.
VersionPress is just great for backups.
Where are they now
VersionPress brings a lot of cool features, but a lot of work still needs to be done right. This is why the editors of this plugin are running a campaign on it at the address http://versionpress.net/ for the moment. If you like what you read here, please consider supporting them as they won't succeed without the support of the WordPress community.
We believe that VersionPress is a very important project because it combines several excellent WordPress tools with "professional" features for good version control.
Discover also some premium WordPress plugins
You can use other WordPress plugins to give a modern appearance and to optimize the handling of your blog or website.
We offer you here some premium WordPress plugins that will help you do that.
1. PDF Viewer for WordPress
PDF Viewer for WordPress is one of the best plugins available to view or view PDF documents on WordPress.
It is fully responsive and compatible with most major browsers. With over 3 sales, it is one of the best selling PDF plugins on CodeCanyon. You will have the option to add icons to the toolbar to help users navigate, zoom, print, download or share the PDF.
In addition, you can also activate or deactivate these features according to your needs. All PDFs opened on your website will adapt perfectly to mobile device screens.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
3. Super Backup & Clone - Migrate
Le WordPress Plugin premium Super Backup & Clone – Migrate will allow you to backup your website. Indeed, working on your website is always a long and cumbersome process, and it would be a shame if you lost your work due to a bad configuration or a manipulation error.
It is a trustworthy backup solution that helps you avoid losing your data. Its main functions are:
an intuitive dashboard, the ability to keep multiple instances of backups, the ability to do migration to another server, the possibility of making restore backups, the presence of an automatic diagnosis, the excellent customer support, the management of the multisiteEtc. ...
It’s a WordPress Plugin premium that we recommend.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
3. Easy Digital Downloads - Dropbox
Easy Digital Downloads - Dropbox gives you the power and ease of use of your downloadable products through the Dropbox infrastructure.
Easily choose a file from your Dropbox account via the Choose button in Dropbox and the plugin will do the rest.
Its other features include: easy installation, intuitive customization, full integration with Dropbox, a clean and modern user interface, multilingual support, extensive documentation, and very responsive customer support.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
Recommended Resources
Discover more resources recommendations that will accompany you in the creation and management of your website.
- How to implement lazy loading in WordPress
- How to become a successful blogger and make money with WordPress
- 5 WooCommerce plugins to give a head start to your online store
- How to create a custom registration page on WordPress
- 5 WordPress plugins to optimize category descriptions and labels
Conclusion
Here ! That's all for this tutorial, now you have the ability to manage and restore a version of WordPress with VersionPress. Do not hesitate to share with your friends on your favorite social networks.
However, you will also be able to consult our resources, if you need more elements to carry out your projects of creation of Internet sites, by consulting our guide on the WordPress blog creation.
If you have suggestions or remarks, leave them in our section Comments.
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