How to Create a PrestaShop Staging Environment

What is a PrestaShop Staging Environment?

A staging environment is a cloned copy of your live store installed on a separate subdomain or directory. It allows you to:

• Safely test themes, modules, or upgrades
• Preview changes without customer impact
• Reduce downtime risks during deployment

For performance tuning tips, visit our guide on PrestaShop Speed Optimization 2025.

Methods to Create a Staging Site

1. Create a Subdomain or Subfolder

Using your hosting control panel (like cPanel), create a subdomain such as staging.yourstore.com or a folder like /staging/.

2. Copy Your Live Files

Use FTP or File Manager to copy all files from your live site to the new subdomain or folder.

3. Clone the Database

In phpMyAdmin:

• Export your live database
• Create a new database for staging
• Import the exported SQL into this new database

4. Update Configuration Settings

Edit the following files in your staging copy:

• /app/config/parameters.php – Update database credentials
• ps_shop_url table in the database – Set domain and base URI to match staging site

Restrict Access to Staging Site

It’s important to block public access and search engine indexing on your staging site:

• Use password protection via .htaccess
• Add Disallow: / in robots.txt
• Disable PrestaShop’s front-end display (in maintenance mode)

Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Staging Environment

• Keep modules and themes in sync with your live store
• Test all updates and deployments here before pushing live
• Back up the staging database regularly

For a full guide on backup, read: How to Backup and Restore a PrestaShop Website.

Alternative: Use Hosting Tools or Modules

Many web hosts provide 1-click staging tools (e.g., SiteGround, Cloudways, Hostinger). You can also consider using a module like:

• PrestaShop Cloud Backup & Clone
• PrestaClone module

These tools help simplify the process, especially for non-technical users.