Best way to export / merge WP site?

DevKinsta Questions
1

Hello,

I have a question. I understand it’s not the “right” way of using DevKinsta, but I guess I am not the only one. So I will give it a try.

I have an active online WP website (A) on Kinsta.
I am using DevKinsta on my computer to create a new WP where I write pages, including images and galleries (only pure WP basic stuff).
Once I am done, I would like to transfer those pages from (B) to (A).
What would be the best way to do that?

I first considered using the WP export option, but then I would lose all the images from B.

I see that there are some plugins (that cost about $200y/subscription) that can merge two wp and their database.

What do you recommend?
Is there any manual way to do that? Is there any tutorial available that you would recommend? Or a free plugin?

2

Hi Alex! Welcome back to the Kinsta Community forums!

I understand that you are looking for a way to migrate specific pages/posts and media from your DevKinsta site to your live WordPress site hosted on Kinsta. I have researched into what options would be available to do this, and I did find an article that provides step by step instructions that may help you with performing a partial content migration like this. You may find a link to this article below:

Please let us know if this helps, or if you have any further questions. We’re always happy to help!

Best regards

3

Hi Andrew,
I will check that.
thank you so much!

6

The most reliable ways to export or merge a WordPress site depend on whether you want to move a site entirely or merge content into another site. Here’s a structured approach:

1. Export / Import via WordPress Tools (Content Only)

  • Go to Tools → Export on the source site.

  • Choose what to export: Posts, Pages, Media, or All Content.

  • Download the XML file.

  • On the target site, go to Tools → Import → WordPress, install the importer if needed, and upload the XML file.

  • Limitations:

    • Does not include themes, plugins, or custom settings.
    • Media may fail if the files are large.

2. Using a Migration Plugin (Full Site / Merge)

  • Plugins like All-in-One WP Migration, Duplicator, or WP Migrate handle full site migration including:

    • Database
    • Media
    • Plugins and themes

  • Steps (general):

    1. Install the plugin on both source and target sites.
    2. Export the source site as a package.
    3. Import the package into the target site.
    4. Resolve conflicts (like duplicate users or URLs).

  • Best for merging: Use WP Migrate to selectively push or pull content between two sites.

1. Export / Import via WordPress Tools (Content Only)

  • Go to Tools → Export on the source site.

  • Choose what to export: Posts, Pages, Media, or All Content.

  • Download the XML file.

  • On the target site, go to Tools → Import → WordPress, install the importer if needed, and upload the XML file.

  • Limitations:

    • Does not include themes, plugins, or custom settings.
    • Media may fail if the files are large.

2. Using a Migration Plugin (Full Site / Merge)

  • Plugins like All-in-One WP Migration, Duplicator, or WP Migrate handle full site migration including:

    • Database
    • Media
    • Plugins and themes

  • Steps (general):

    1. Install the plugin on both source and target sites.
    2. Export the source site as a package.
    3. Import the package into the target site.
    4. Resolve conflicts (like duplicate users or URLs).

  • Best for merging: Use WP Migrate to selectively push or pull content between two sites.

3. Manual Database + Files Merge (Advanced)

  • Files: Copy wp-content/uploads, themes, plugins folders.
  • Database: Export the database (phpMyAdmin → Export) from source.
  • Use a SQL tool or plugin to merge tables like wp_posts, wp_postmeta, and wp_users carefully.
  • Update URLs and permalinks in the database (wp_options table).
  • Risk: High if tables conflict; use only if experienced with SQL.

Tips

  • Always backup both sites before merging.
  • Test the merged site on a staging environment first.
  • Check for duplicate users, post IDs, and slugs to avoid conflicts.
  • Use search and replace plugins to fix URLs after migration. :slightly_smiling_face: