Test Concrete Version Upgrade or Reverting Back if Broken?
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Greetings,
Just finished a pretty complex site that uses a fair number of adds-on. It is English only. Softaculous is telling me that Concrete 5.6.3 is available. Site is built using 5.6.2.1.
Anyway to test the new version with the site before committing to the upgrade - or a safe way to completely backup the site in case the upgrade breaks some of the add-ons and such.
Or, are these minor version upgrades usually safe regardless? Or is the "if it ain't broken, don't fix it" rule applicable with these minor upgrades?
Thanks,
Just finished a pretty complex site that uses a fair number of adds-on. It is English only. Softaculous is telling me that Concrete 5.6.3 is available. Site is built using 5.6.2.1.
Anyway to test the new version with the site before committing to the upgrade - or a safe way to completely backup the site in case the upgrade breaks some of the add-ons and such.
Or, are these minor version upgrades usually safe regardless? Or is the "if it ain't broken, don't fix it" rule applicable with these minor upgrades?
Thanks,
In general when I'm upgrading my sites (whether its a minor or major release):
1. Back up the database
2. Run the upgrade
If it goes badly, I restore the database and then the filesystem (using the auto-updater, you'll have to go into config/site.php and remove any app dir updated definitions, and then remove the folders added to /updates/).
I upgrade manually, which basically involves swapping the /concrete/ directory, for a full new one. I much prefer it to the built in updater, but obviously isn't as user friendly.
A quick search for 'manually updating a site' will yield several how-to's on this.
Hope this helps.
TLDR: Backup the db every time.
1. Back up the database
2. Run the upgrade
If it goes badly, I restore the database and then the filesystem (using the auto-updater, you'll have to go into config/site.php and remove any app dir updated definitions, and then remove the folders added to /updates/).
I upgrade manually, which basically involves swapping the /concrete/ directory, for a full new one. I much prefer it to the built in updater, but obviously isn't as user friendly.
A quick search for 'manually updating a site' will yield several how-to's on this.
Hope this helps.
TLDR: Backup the db every time.
http://www.concrete5.org/documentation/how-tos/developers/organise-...
As for general principles, if you are likely to need to upgrade in the future, then its usually worth keeping up to date with the small steps rather than leave it to the end. That also builds experience with the overall process and solving any minor issues.
If your server environment can't cope with the files and database backups needed to make a clone, have a look at Backup Voodoo. Even if you don't use it, the docs pages include plenty of info about cloning a site.