Moving a ready site with one archive
Move a site between hosts without FTP: export the database, zip the site folder, upload the archive to the new location, extract it, then import the database. Before changing name servers, test the site on a temporary URL or by editing your hosts file. Do not forget to update the stored site URL in the database if the domain changes.
Cleanup after every deploy
Delete old archives, duplicate copies and temporary files; they consume your limited space and can open gaps. Review the uploads folder, remove unused files, and keep a short note of what you deleted. Five minutes of monthly cleanup beats hitting the storage limit in the middle of an important upload.
You do not need an FTP client to deploy a site. The file manager inside your hosting panel does what you need from a browser: upload, zip, extract, edit text and change permissions. Anyone who learns it avoids half of the common publishing problems, especially when FTP is blocked by a network or firewall.
Where is your site?
Open the file manager and find the site directory: htdocs, public_html or your domain name, depending on the panel. Everything you put there is visible to visitors. Do not upload into a parent folder, and never keep backups inside the site folder; a backup must live outside what it copies.
Upload files the safe way
- Zip your site folder on your computer and verify the archive is valid.
- Upload the archive into the site directory.
- Use the server extract option, then delete the archive after it works.
- Open the homepage and confirm images and links load.
Uploading thousands of small files directly is slower and more fragile than one archive extracted on the server. For large sites, split the archive into parts instead of attempting one huge upload.
Permissions: the silent 500
Wrong permissions produce an error 500 with no clear message. Practical rule: folders 755, files 644. Never give 777 to anything on the internet; it invites malicious code execution. If you inherited a site, reset permissions before doing anything else.
Editing files in the browser
The file manager can edit php, html, css and htaccess files. Do it carefully: keep a copy before editing, and use an editor that shows line numbers, because wrapping text hides closing-bracket mistakes. After any edit, open the page in a private window so the cache does not lie to you.
A quick backup from the same screen
Before any big change: archive the site folder, export the database from phpMyAdmin, and download both files. That is not a replacement for a scheduled backup system, but it saves you from one bad edit. Read the backup plan to build the permanent routine.
What not to do in the file manager
- Do not delete a folder before you know what it contains.
- Do not upload old copies of plugins or unknown files.
- Do not leave archives or text files with passwords in a public path.
- Do not hand-edit core files if an update will overwrite them.
When publishing for the first time, confirm there is an index file in the root and that you did not upload an extra folder by mistake. A blank page or an English file listing usually means you are in the wrong place in the tree. Follow the install guide for the correct layout, and check DNS if the domain itself does not point to the host yet.
Common upload mistakes and fixes
- Page shows a file list: no index in the root, or you uploaded into a subfolder.
- Images missing: stale absolute paths or a missing uploads folder.
- Site asks for a login you do not know: an old config file or an htaccess inherited from a previous owner.
- Extraction fails: a corrupt archive or not enough space; re-zip locally and check the size before uploading.
Each symptom has one clear cause, and guessing several at once wastes time. Start with the simplest: is the file in the right place? Then are its permissions correct? Then is the cache showing an old copy?