Moving Your WordPress Site: A Step-by-Step Guide for Developers

-- Create table backups before making any changes
CREATE TABLE wp_options_backup AS SELECT * FROM wp_options;
CREATE TABLE wp_posts_backup AS SELECT * FROM wp_posts;
CREATE TABLE wp_postmeta_backup AS SELECT * FROM wp_postmeta;

-- 1. Update WordPress site and home URLs (CORE SETTINGS)
UPDATE wp_options 
SET option_value = REPLACE(option_value, 'https://site.com', 'https://site.com/mirror')
WHERE option_name IN ('siteurl', 'home');

-- 2. Update post content URLs (POSTS AND PAGES)
UPDATE wp_posts 
SET post_content = REPLACE(post_content, 'https://site.com', 'https://site.com/mirror');

-- 3. Update post GUIDs (IMPORTANT FOR RSS FEEDS AND IMPORTS)
UPDATE wp_posts 
SET guid = REPLACE(guid, 'https://site.com', 'https://site.com/mirror');

-- 4. Update postmeta (WOOCOMMERCE AND OTHER PLUGINS)
UPDATE wp_postmeta 
SET meta_value = REPLACE(meta_value, 'https://site.com', 'https://site.com/mirror')
WHERE meta_value LIKE '%site.com%';

-- 5. Update WooCommerce specific URLs (PRODUCT IMAGES, FILES)
UPDATE wp_postmeta 
SET meta_value = REPLACE(meta_value, 'https://site.com', 'https://site.com/mirror')
WHERE meta_key IN ('_product_image_gallery', '_thumbnail_id', '_file_paths');

-- 6. Update termmeta (CATEGORY AND TAG IMAGES)
UPDATE wp_termmeta 
SET meta_value = REPLACE(meta_value, 'https://site.com', 'https://site.com/mirror')
WHERE meta_value LIKE '%site.com%';

-- 7. Update widget content (SIDEBARS AND FOOTERS)
UPDATE wp_options 
SET option_value = REPLACE(option_value, 'https://site.com', 'https://site.com/mirror')
WHERE option_name LIKE 'widget_%';

-- 8. Clear cache-related options (PREVENT CACHED OLD URLS)
DELETE FROM wp_options WHERE option_name LIKE '%_transient_%';
DELETE FROM wp_options WHERE option_name LIKE '%_cache_%';

Critical Warning About Serialized Data

This is the most important section! WordPress stores many settings as serialized PHP arrays. In serialized data, string lengths are included in the format. For example:

// Original serialized data
'a:1:{s:4:"link";s:19:"https://site.com";}'

// Notice: s:19 means 19 characters in the string

If you simply replace https://site.com (19 characters) with https://site.com/mirror (28 characters) without updating the length indicator, you’ll break the serialization.

The InterconnectIT tool handles this automatically. For manual SQL, you need special handling:

-- Special handling for serialized data (use cautiously)
UPDATE wp_options 
SET option_value = REPLACE(option_value, 's:19:"https://site.com"', 's:28:"https://site.com/mirror"')
WHERE option_value LIKE '%s:19:"https://site.com"%';

You’ll need to find all the different string lengths in your database and create specific queries for each. This is why the PHP tool is generally safer.

Post-Migration Checklist

After running your SQL queries, complete these steps:

1. Update permalinks: Go to Settings → Permalinks and click “Save Changes”
2. Clear all caches:
   • WooCommerce → Status → Tools → “Clear transients”
   • Clear any caching plugins (W3TC, WP Super Cache, etc.)
   • Clear CDN cache if applicable
3. Regenerate thumbnails: Use “Regenerate Thumbnails” plugin if images appear broken
4. Test WooCommerce endpoints:
   • Visit /mirror/cart/
   • Visit /mirror/checkout/
   • Visit /mirror/my-account/
5. Update .htaccess: If you have custom rewrite rules, update paths
6. Search for mixed content: Use browser DevTools to find any remaining http:// references

WordPress CLI Alternative (For Developers)

If you have SSH access to your server, WP-CLI is the most efficient method:

# Dry run first to see what will change
wp search-replace 'https://site.com' 'https://site.com/mirror' --all-tables --dry-run

# Actual replacement
wp search-replace 'https://site.com' 'https://site.com/mirror' --all-tables

# Also check for URL-encoded versions
wp search-replace 'https%3A%2F%2Fsite.com' 'https%3A%2F%2Fsite.com%2Fmirror' --all-tables

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Problem: “Too many redirects” error

Solution: Check your .htaccess file and WordPress Address in Settings → General

Problem: WooCommerce pages showing 404

Solution: Go to WooCommerce → Status → Tools → “Create default WooCommerce pages”

Problem: Images still loading from old URL

Solution: Some themes store URLs in custom tables. Check:

• Your theme’s options table
• Any slider or gallery plugins
• Custom post type meta data

Problem: Mixed content warnings (HTTP/HTTPS)

Solution: Run additional search and replace for http://site.com to https://site.com/mirror

Final Recommendation

For most users: Use the InterconnectIT tool first. It’s specifically designed for this purpose and handles the complex serialization issues automatically.

For developers with large sites: Use WP-CLI if available on your server.

For edge cases where neither works: Use the manual SQL approach with extreme caution, always with backups, and test thoroughly on a staging environment first.

Remember: The goal isn’t just to make the site work—it’s to make it work without breaking anything else. Take your time, test each step, and you’ll have your cloned site running smoothly in no time.