Workflow when developing for clients

@logicred –

What I usually do is create a sub domain on one of my hosted sites and then put up the client’s potential site there.

This way, it is easy for them to check it out and also, should they decide to “go for it”, it is a simple matter of migrating the site to their server.

Cheers!
Lyle

So do you work on the sub domain site whilst developing it? I thought about doing this, but any local graphics for themes etc had to be uploaded via FTP each time.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by logicred.

I upload all required images and graphics via the WP Media uploader. Can’t say that I recall ever doing so via FTP.

So what happens when you are working on the CSS of a theme for example? I use a CSS editor on my PC and when I make the changes I have to upload the stylesheet each time to see the changes (every 2 mins or so).

On occasions I have setup the demonstration site on my hosting on a sub-domain and password protected the directory, yes I have to do frequent CSS and other file uploads, filezilla makes that easy, OR use a custom CSS plugin (or theme that has it) and can do css changes quickly.
This is what I used to do.

Now I get the client to install “teamviewer” (download from teamviewer.com for win/mac/linux), I run it on my localhost PC, get client to connect in and view my screen, have a voice connection as well using either a phone or skype audio chat. I get to see how they cruise the site, just what they saw, can coach them on what is complete etc. It gives me a great deal of control of the review process and an excellent impression of what the client thinks. At later stages I use teamviewer to coach the client in authoring for the live hosted site.

Thanks Ross. Makes sense. I use Teamviewer too, but I like the ability to be able to make some changes and quickly ping the client to take a look at their convenience (they might take a look when they get home so I need my test machine on all the time hence the DYNDNS service connecting straight to it). Filezilla is great, but a tiny tweak means uploading the CSS file, then another tiny tweak and then uploading it again soon becomes tedious. I think a web based CSS editor would be ok now I think about it, but maybe still not quick enough to develop the site in real time with constant changes initially

Thanks

The quickest and most expedient CSS changes I do is in firebug, hack the CSS and view the impact live. Apart from this the only way to change CSS is to go through the edit file + save and browser refresh cycle (or custom CSS edit save and refresh), there is just no other way.

Another technique I use that simplifies my development is to develop the localhosted site using the “VirtualHost” apache configuration
(details here: https://httpd.apache.org/docs/current/vhosts/ )
And put the site name into my “hosts” file
(details here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosts_%28file%29 )
This means that the site barely knows that it has moved when it is published to the hosted server, (minor issues such as not having an SMTP server, doing manual plugin/theme/wp updates)
I can toggle between the hosted and localhost version by editing my hosts file.
If I setup my hosted database and database user first, then I can use the same settings on localhost and even the wp-config.php file is the same. Similarly if I connect to the FTP server at hosting using the server name then I can still do FTP to/from hosted site.

This same VirtualHost technique also works if a site gets hacked or needs extensive work.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by RossMitchell.