How do you make sure your web development environment works with your hosting and deployment platforms?

1 Choose a suitable hosting and deployment platform

The first step is to choose a hosting and deployment platform that meets your needs and budget. There are many options available, such as shared hosting, VPS, dedicated servers, cloud services, or platforms as a service (PaaS). Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, such as scalability, security, performance, cost, and flexibility. You should research and compare different options and consider factors such as your expected traffic, storage, bandwidth, database, and programming language requirements.

2 Set up a local development environment

The next step is to set up a local development environment that mirrors your hosting and deployment platform as much as possible. This means using the same operating system, web server, database, and programming language versions and configurations as your production environment. This will help you avoid compatibility issues and errors when you deploy your website to the live server. You can use tools such as XAMPP, MAMP, WAMP, or Docker to create a local development environment on your computer.

3 Use version control and code editors

Another important step is to use version control and code editors to manage your code and files. Version control systems such as Git, SVN, or Mercurial allow you to track changes, collaborate with other developers, and revert to previous versions if something goes wrong. Code editors such as VS Code, Sublime Text, or Atom allow you to write, edit, and debug your code with features such as syntax highlighting, code completion, and extensions. You should also use consistent coding standards and conventions to ensure readability and maintainability of your code.

4 Test and debug your website

Before you deploy your website to the live server, you should test and debug it thoroughly on your local development environment. You should check for functionality, usability, accessibility, performance, and security issues. You can use tools such as Chrome DevTools, Firefox Developer Tools, or Safari Web Inspector to inspect and modify your code, simulate different devices and network conditions, and identify errors and warnings. You can also use tools such as Lighthouse, WebPageTest, or GTmetrix to measure and improve your website's speed and performance.

5 Deploy your website

The final step is to deploy your website to the live server. There are different methods and tools to do this, depending on your hosting and deployment platform. Some common methods are FTP, SSH, or Git. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) allows you to upload and download files between your computer and the server. SSH (Secure Shell) allows you to access and execute commands on the server. Git allows you to push and pull changes from a remote repository to the server. You should always backup your files and database before deploying your website and test it again after deployment.

6 Update and maintain your website

After you deploy your website, you should not forget to update and maintain it regularly. This means keeping your web server, database, and programming language versions and packages up to date, fixing any bugs or errors, adding new features or content, and monitoring your website's performance and security. You can use tools such as Google Analytics, Google Search Console, or Cloudflare to track your website's traffic, ranking, and security. You can also use tools such as WordPress, Drupal, or Joomla to manage your website's content and functionality with ease.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?