A practical website migration checklist

1. Inventory the whole service

A website move can fail even when the public pages copy correctly. List every dependency: domains, DNS records, databases, email accounts, scheduled tasks, storage, redirects, SSL certificates, API keys, firewalls, third-party callbacks, and administrator access.

Record ownership and expiry dates for domains and paid licences. Identify who can approve DNS changes and who will test business functions after the move.

2. Prepare a recoverable migration

• Create and verify a full backup before changing anything.
• Keep the existing service active until the new environment is validated.
• Lower DNS TTL in advance when appropriate.
• Freeze non-essential changes close to the final data sync.
• Write a rollback condition and decision owner.

For stores and membership sites, decide how new orders, accounts, and content will be handled during the cutover. A final database sync may be required.

3. Copy, configure, and test privately

Move files and databases to the new environment, then configure the runtime version, extensions, permissions, scheduled jobs, cache, and environment variables. Test through a temporary URL or local hosts-file change before public DNS is updated.

Review more than the homepage: login, search, forms, checkout, email delivery, uploads, downloads, redirects, robots directives, canonical URLs, analytics, and integrations. Check browser console errors and server logs.

4. Cut over deliberately

Schedule the final sync, confirm the old and new backups, place the site into maintenance mode only if needed, update DNS, and monitor both environments. DNS propagation is gradual; do not delete the old service immediately.

For external systems, confirm webhooks and allowlists use the new address. Reissue or validate SSL certificates and ensure HTTP redirects to HTTPS correctly.

5. Validate, monitor, and close

• Test critical journeys from multiple networks and devices.
• Confirm orders, forms, and email notifications arrive.
• Watch error logs, resource usage, security alerts, and performance.
• Keep the old environment isolated but available during the agreed observation period.
• Update documentation and remove obsolete credentials after sign-off.

A migration is complete when business functions, monitoring, backups, and ownership are confirmed—not simply when DNS points to a new server.