<p>There are lots of similar questions with good discussion on this:</p>

<p><a href="https://craftcms.stackexchange.com/questions/10/whats-the-best-practice-for-handling-data-migration-and-organization-across-dev/16">What&#39;s the best practice for handling data migration and organization across development environments?</a></p>

<p><a href="https://craftcms.stackexchange.com/questions/16380/recommended-workflow-when-developing-new-websites/16388">Recommended workflow when developing new websites</a></p>

<p><a href="https://craftcms.stackexchange.com/questions/13/whats-the-best-practice-for-upgrading-a-versioned-craft-site">What&#39;s the best practice for upgrading a versioned Craft site?</a></p>

<p>Ultimately, we want to building something in core to help manage this and the upcoming Craft 3 has taken a step in that direction with <a href="https://craftcms.com/news/craft-3-content-migrations" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Content Migrations</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-12T17:37:52.437Z
none of them offer a simple solution for uploading only the fields structure..
Hontoni
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-10T22:05:21.007Z
2017-02-10T22:05:21.007Z
Brad Bell
<p>You may find Sprout's <a href="https://sprout.barrelstrengthdesign.com/craft-plugins/import" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Import plugin</a> useful in this regard.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-13T13:19:21.620Z
It sais it supports all the data types except Fields. But thats exactly what I need, to sync the fields structure! not the data/content of Entries.
Hontoni
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-13T04:35:25.723Z
2017-02-13T04:35:25.723Z
Nathan D Huening
<p>Take a look at <a href="https://github.com/Pennebaker/craftcms-thearchitect" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Architect plugin</a>. This allows you to export selected attributes (e.g. fields, field layouts, sections, entry types, asset sources, transforms, globals, users and user groups) as a JSON file and import them into another site/environment.</p>

<p>It works very well for exactly the use case you describe: migrating the changes in content structure, not content, between environments.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-13T16:04:04.047Z
2017-02-13T16:04:04.047Z
Steve Rowling
<p>How can I change fields/sections structure locally while having a live site and then upload the new structure, without wiping the production site?
In Wordpress ACF you can just Sync the fields structure, here it seems I need to close down the website for development?!</p>

<field><sections><deployment>
Update fields structure from local to production
# Update fields structure from local to production

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-02-08)

How can I change fields/sections structure locally while having a live site and then upload the new structure, without wiping the production site?
In Wordpress ACF you can just Sync the fields structure, here it seems I need to close down the website for development?!

**Tags:** field, sections, deployment

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-02-10. Score: 1

There are lots of similar questions with good discussion on this:

[What's the best practice for handling data migration and organization across development environments?](https://craftcms.stackexchange.com/questions/10/whats-the-best-practice-for-handling-data-migration-and-organization-across-dev/16)

[Recommended workflow when developing new websites](https://craftcms.stackexchange.com/questions/16380/recommended-workflow-when-developing-new-websites/16388)

[What's the best practice for upgrading a versioned Craft site?](https://craftcms.stackexchange.com/questions/13/whats-the-best-practice-for-upgrading-a-versioned-craft-site)

Ultimately, we want to building something in core to help manage this and the upcoming Craft 3 has taken a step in that direction with [Content Migrations](https://craftcms.com/news/craft-3-content-migrations).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: none of them offer a simple solution for uploading only the fields structure..  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2017-02-13. Score: 1

You may find Sprout's [Import plugin](https://sprout.barrelstrengthdesign.com/craft-plugins/import) useful in this regard.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: It sais it supports all the data types except Fields. But thats exactly what I need, to sync the fields structure! not the data/content of Entries.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2017-02-13. Score: 1

Take a look at [The Architect plugin](https://github.com/Pennebaker/craftcms-thearchitect). This allows you to export selected attributes (e.g. fields, field layouts, sections, entry types, asset sources, transforms, globals, users and user groups) as a JSON file and import them into another site/environment.

It works very well for exactly the use case you describe: migrating the changes in content structure, not content, between environments.


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