using FTP when working with Desktopserver

Hi Noga,

Desktop Server is for local development on your Desktop or Laptop computer be that Mac, Windows or Linux. What you are asking is more along the line of how to interact with the live server rather than the local of which Desktop Server has no control over.

cPanel would be installed on your hosting account for you to mange your live files and domains on the server not on your local machine.

The workflow is:

Develop locally with desktop server --> Deploy to live or staging server using FTP.

Craig

thank you very much:) still pretty confuse with everything.... How can I develop locally with desktop server without an FTP software? I mean... does it possible to customize the theme, edit the code and make big changes (editing in the admin area is limited according to what I understand) without an ftp software? also, according to your answer I understand that I can't develop the back-end of the website only the front end, right?
one more question, is there any chance that I'll lose all of my customizations if the theme is going throw update when I deploy to staging server?

Hi Noga,

I think you may be slightly confused about what DesktopServer does overall.

To develop a site locally means to develop the site on your computer. To do this you require the inner workings of a server on your local machine. For example, you need things like Apache, mySQL, phpMyAdmin. These are all things that would be on a live server from a hosting provider.

DesktopServer installs these software in a specific way on your machine so you can develop and test sites without having to have them on a live server with a host.

DestopSever will create a folder on your machine, usually called "website" this is where, once you create a site, you will find its root directory containing all the WordPress files, including themes and plugins.

You will only require FTP when you wish to move the site to a live host.

Hope this helps. Craig

thank you very much:)