Move from prototype to production without disrupting the live website

A controlled migration protects current visitors, content, search visibility and administrative access while the approved redesign is prepared separately.

Decision required before production work: the prototype is not a WordPress theme and cannot simply be uploaded into the existing dashboard. Choose one implementation pathway after reviewing staff editing needs, hosting, integrations and long-term maintenance.

Production pathway

Two valid routes, one must be approved

Retains the existing editing workflow

Rebuild inside WordPress

Recreate the approved design as a clean WordPress implementation, then migrate only approved pages, programme data and media. This is appropriate when staff need to keep using the WordPress dashboard and existing hosting.

Preserves familiar content administration
Requires a new theme or carefully controlled page-builder structure
Needs a reduced and reviewed plugin set

Uses the current prototype architecture

Deploy as a standalone website

Develop the prototype into the production website, connect approved forms and services, and point the official domain to it. WordPress may then be retired or retained only as an archive after verification.

Avoids carrying forward old WordPress code and plugins
Requires an approved hosting, editing and content-update process
Needs production integrations for admissions and verification

Migration sequence

A staged and reversible launch process

1. Preserve the current site

Take verified file, database and hosting backups. Keep the live website unchanged and record the current DNS, email and hosting settings.

2. Approve the source content

Confirm the authoritative 2026 brochures, institutional copy, policies, contacts, partner permissions and intake information.

3. Build in a separate staging environment

Complete the chosen WordPress or standalone implementation away from the live domain. Do not import old demo content or every legacy plugin.

4. Test the complete website

Review every page, programme, form destination, mobile layout, accessibility requirement, permission, security control and performance target.

5. Controlled launch

Apply a short content freeze, take a final backup, publish the approved build, enable redirects and verify the official domain before announcing the launch.

6. Monitor and retain rollback

Monitor errors, forms, indexing and redirects. Keep the previous website and backups recoverable until the agreed stability period is complete.

Existing source materials

Use the backup as evidence, not as the new design

The WordPress XML export, website-content archive and SQL database preserve the old site’s pages, Elementor data, media references, plugin settings and legacy records. They are valuable for inventory, comparison and recovery.

The new implementation should migrate only approved content and required assets. Old demo templates, abandoned records, cache files, obsolete plugins and unsafe utilities should not be copied automatically.

Review required 2026 sources

WordPress security baseline

If WordPress is retained

Use a fresh staging installation and supported software versions
Install only the plugins required by the approved website
Remove public file-manager and unused administrative utilities
Restrict administrator accounts and enable strong authentication
Configure scheduled backups, security monitoring and update ownership
Use approved form delivery, anti-spam controls and authenticated email sending
Apply caching and image optimisation only after functional testing

Search and continuity

Redirect every important existing address

A redirect register must be created from the current WordPress URL inventory before the domain changes. Each important old address should point permanently to the most relevant approved new page.

Core pagesHome, About Us, Contact, Verification, Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy

Programme directoryThe main programme page plus each provider landing page

Programme detailsEvery approved old programme URL mapped to its exact new detail page

Media and documentsOnly approved brochure, image and document URLs that must remain accessible

Removed contentLegacy, demo and withdrawn pages redirected only when a genuinely relevant replacement exists

Launch gate

Required checks before changing the official domain

Production destination and ownership are approved
All public copy and programme data have named approvers
Admissions, contact and verification submissions reach the correct authorised team
No prototype notices, unpublished bank details or private review pages remain public
Search blocking is removed only from the approved production website
Analytics and cookies match the approved privacy notice
SSL, backups, administrator access and security monitoring are active
The redirect list and rollback procedure have been tested