I’m working on a WordPress site and I need some help. I’ve got a staging environment where I make changes, but I don’t always want to push everything to the live site at once.
For example, let’s say I updated some stuff in the Widgets section, but I’m not ready to publish the new Pages yet. Is there a way to move just the Widget changes to the production site without affecting the rest?
I’ve been looking for a solution, but I’m not sure if there’s a plugin that can do this or if I need to do it manually. Any ideas or tips would be super helpful!
I’ve faced this exact situation before, and I can tell you it’s tricky but doable. One approach that’s worked well for me is using a combination of SQL queries and the WP-CLI tool.
First, you’d need to identify the specific database tables related to widgets (usually wp_options). Then, use WP-CLI to export just those tables from staging. On the production site, you can then import only this data.
It’s a bit technical and requires caution, but it gives you precise control. Always backup before attempting this. Also, be aware that some widgets might reference content IDs that differ between environments, so you may need to adjust those manually.
If you’re not comfortable with command-line tools, some premium migration plugins offer selective content transfer, though I haven’t personally used them. I hope this provides some clarity on the process.
hey claire, i’ve been there too. what works for me is using the better search replace plugin. export your staging database, use the plugin on prod to replace only widget-related tables. it’s pretty straightforward and safer than messing with sql directly. just remember to backup first and double-check the changes afterwards. good luck!
I’ve been in your shoes, Claire, and I found a solution that works pretty well. Instead of using plugins or complex SQL queries, I prefer a more manual but safer approach.
What I do is use the built-in WordPress export/import tools, but selectively. First, I export only the widget settings from the staging site. Then, on the production site, I use the import tool to bring in just those widget settings.
It takes a bit more time, but it’s less risky than messing with the database directly. Plus, it gives you a chance to review the changes before they go live.
One thing to watch out for: if your widgets contain custom content or links, you might need to adjust those manually after import. It’s not perfect, but it’s served me well for smaller, controlled updates between environments.