A staging site is a private copy where you can test updates, new plugins or design changes without risking the live site.
Method 1 — subdomain clone
- In cPanel open Domains → Create A New Domain and create
staging.yourdomain.com. - Open Softaculous → WordPress → Installations, find your live site and click the Staging (clone) icon.
- Choose the staging subdomain as the destination and start the clone.
Softaculous copies the files and database and rewrites the URLs for you. When you are happy with the changes, use the Push to Live option — read the warning carefully, as it overwrites the live site.
Method 2 — manual clone
Export the live site with All-in-One WP Migration, install a fresh WordPress on the staging subdomain, and import the archive there.
Keep it out of Google
On the staging site go to Settings → Reading and tick Discourage search engines from indexing this site. Better still, add Directory Privacy on the staging subdomain so the public cannot reach it at all.
Housekeeping
A staging copy uses the same disk quota and inode allowance as the live site. Delete it when you are finished, and never leave an unmaintained staging copy running — it becomes an unpatched attack surface.
