<p>Your purchase on the "real" domain was tied to your the <code>craft/config/license.key</code> file on that site.</p>

<p>All you should need to do is move your files up <em>except</em> for your local development <code>license.key</code> file, restore the database to the production site and adjust any domains/paths as necessary.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-15T04:05:42.127Z
Also overwrite the local license.key with the one from the "real" domain, so you don't screw yourself later.
Marion Newlevant
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-14T21:40:54.493Z
2014-07-14T21:40:54.493Z
Brad Bell
<p>This article may be useful to anyone searching here as well: <a href="https://nystudio107.com/blog/database-asset-syncing-between-environments-in-craft-cms" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Database &amp; Asset Syncing Between Environments in Craft CMS</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-10T17:30:21.507Z
2017-10-10T17:30:21.507Z
andrew.welch
<ol>
<li>Make sure both Craft installs are up-to-date.</li>
<li><a href="http://buildwithcraft.com/help/transferring-purchases" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Craft's license</a> is saved in <code>craft/config/license.key</code>, make a backup of your purchased license file.</li>
<li>Move all your files/directories except:

<blockquote>
  <p>/craft/app/<br>
  /craft/storage/</p>
</blockquote></li>
<li>Copy the backup of your <code>license.key</code> to <code>craft/config/</code>.</li>
<li>Remove <code>/craft/storage/</code>, if it exists on your new server, to prevent cache errors.</li>
<li>"dump and load" your database to the new server. Craft will update what's necessary.</li>
<li>Update your <a href="http://buildwithcraft.com/docs/config-settings" rel="nofollow noreferrer">config settings</a> in <code>/craft/config/</code>.</li>
<li>Go to your BackEnd.</li>
</ol>

<p>Also you might find this interesting:</p>

<p><a href="https://craftcms.stackexchange.com/q/10/177">What's the best practice for handling data migration and organization across development environments?</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-06T11:10:30.600Z
The only trouble I had with the explanation above was that user photos are stored in the `craft/storage/userphotos` directory. So, you'll lose these photos if you completely omit the `storage` directory. In my case, I only lost the photo for the admin and just updated it on the live site. In the case where there are more users with existing user photos this might be more of a concern. Maybe @Victor In or someone else can comment if uploading the `craft/storage/userphotos` directory from the development site would cause caching issues?
Justin K
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-16T12:25:49.077Z
Thanks Victor for the information here - this was exactly what I needed.
Shane Kaszyca
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-14T21:42:51.193Z
2014-07-14T21:42:51.193Z
2017-04-13T12:50:59.930Z
Victor
<p>A developer built our site locally configured as "craft.dev". At the same time, my sysadmin was busy getting Craft installed with Apache on our Linux server. He set that up with our real domain and purchased the $299 license for "ourcoolwebsite.com".  </p>

<p>Now we've got the real website on the developer's machine, and a blank website on the linux server. </p>

<p><strong>What files/folders do we need to migrate to get the real website up?</strong> Should we just dump and load his database and overwrite the one that was created for the install? I am guessing there are some database tables with data specific to my purchase and license key that differ from his. Basically I want to know how to take his work and put it into my production environment with database tables and file paths.</p>

<database><migration><upgrades>
Migrating a whole website between Craft instances
# Migrating a whole website between Craft instances

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-07-14)

A developer built our site locally configured as "craft.dev". At the same time, my sysadmin was busy getting Craft installed with Apache on our Linux server. He set that up with our real domain and purchased the $299 license for "ourcoolwebsite.com".

Now we've got the real website on the developer's machine, and a blank website on the linux server.

**What files/folders do we need to migrate to get the real website up?** Should we just dump and load his database and overwrite the one that was created for the install? I am guessing there are some database tables with data specific to my purchase and license key that differ from his. Basically I want to know how to take his work and put it into my production environment with database tables and file paths.

**Tags:** database, migration, upgrades


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2014-07-14. Score: 10 | Accepted answer

1. Make sure both Craft installs are up-to-date.
2. [Craft's license](http://buildwithcraft.com/help/transferring-purchases) is saved in `craft/config/license.key`, make a backup of your purchased license file.
3. Move all your files/directories except:
   > /craft/app/  
   > /craft/storage/
4. Copy the backup of your `license.key` to `craft/config/`.
5. Remove `/craft/storage/`, if it exists on your new server, to prevent cache errors.
6. "dump and load" your database to the new server. Craft will update what's necessary.
7. Update your [config settings](http://buildwithcraft.com/docs/config-settings) in `/craft/config/`.
8. Go to your BackEnd.

Also you might find this interesting:

[What's the best practice for handling data migration and organization across development environments?](https://craftcms.stackexchange.com/q/10/177)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks username_4 for the information here - this was exactly what I needed.  
> **username_5**: The only trouble I had with the explanation above was that user photos are stored in the `craft/storage/userphotos` directory. So, you'll lose these photos if you completely omit the `storage` directory. In my case, I only lost the photo for the admin and just updated it on the live site. In the case where there are more users with existing user photos this might be more of a concern. Maybe @username_4 In or someone else can comment if uploading the `craft/storage/userphotos` directory from the development site would cause caching issues?  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2014-07-14. Score: 3

Your purchase on the "real" domain was tied to your the `craft/config/license.key` file on that site.

All you should need to do is move your files up *except* for your local development `license.key` file, restore the database to the production site and adjust any domains/paths as necessary.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Also overwrite the local license.key with the one from the "real" domain, so you don't screw yourself later.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2017-10-10. Score: 0

This article may be useful to anyone searching here as well: [Database & Asset Syncing Between Environments in Craft CMS](https://nystudio107.com/blog/database-asset-syncing-between-environments-in-craft-cms)


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