Whenever you backup your website, you always need to take care of the database. There are many users, who prefer to duplicate the database and download it.
Well, some WordPress experts suggest, it’s better to take the precautions. Even if you’re trying to test any SQL query, you must always try it on a test server.
For which, you can copy your existing website’s database so that you can see if the SQL query can work on your live site.
Some users prefer to set up a local environment for testing, but it’s a lot of work. Different people have different purposes for copying a database.
In this tutorial, I am going to walk you through the most straightforward process to accomplish your task using phpMyAdmin from cPanel.
I know, for newbies, it can be scary. That’s why it’s necessary to download the backup on your computer’s hard drive.
A Step By Step Process to Duplicate Your Site’s Database
Dealing with cPanel is going to smooth. Some of you might have a fear of using cPanel, but it’s not so scary as it seems.
Nowadays, almost every web hosting company offers cPanel access, even to its starting plan users. If you see the layout a little bit different, don’t worry, the options are similar.
It’s just every company tries to maintain its brand. If you use Bluehost, you can see, everything is in blue. Siteground has a different cPanel, and so does Hostinger.
Follow the steps.
Step 1:
Login to your cPanel and search for the phpMyAdmin icon. Depending on the cPanel you have, you have to find it.
The best way is to find the databases’ section, under which, you can easily see phpMyAdmin. Click to open.
Step 2:
A new tab opens up on your browser and you can see phpMyAdmin. You can either choose the database name from the left-hand sidebar or click on databases.
If you choose to open the databases, a list shows up, from which, you need to click on the database you want to copy.
Step 3:
I have chosen “WordPress” because it’s the name of the database for the site I am using for this tutorial. You can see the database tables.
From the main navigation menu of phpMyAdmin, click on Operations.
Step 4:
On this page, you can see tons of boxes. Scroll down until you see “Copy database to” section. Fill in the name of the database in the box below it.
Note: You need to make sure you choose “Structure and data.”
Click on the Go button, and you can see a success message.
Go back toDatabases, and you can see the newly duplicated database.
Well, you can test anything you want on your new database. Make sure you don’t keep it connected to your website. So, maybe having a local version of your site and its database is a great way to learn more.
Sometimes, testing on a live server can be risky. Although having a backup can save you, still it’s better to take the necessary steps.
But if you’re aware of what you do, congrats, you have successfully copied your existing WordPress database.
Is There Something Difficult in this Whole Process?
Having a sense of great achievement is always satisfying. As I have already mentioned, different people have different things in their minds, and they may use the duplicate database their way.
The ultimate goal is to learn how to create a copy. Using phpMyAdmin can be a little bit of overwhelming for a few people, but it’s so smooth.
As you can see, the screenshots explain everything. It’s not too difficult.
Conclusion
Dealing with the database is a risky decision. Having a backup using a WordPress plugin or manually is vital. I remember when I broke my first website.
And if you’re thinking about copying and pasting any MySQL query, use the duplicated database, not the original. I hope you can easily pull this off.
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