Several years ago, I started utilizing test sites for each web site I develop. The site that's visible to the internet I call the "production" site, and the "test" site is hosted on another domain as a sub-domain (which is not accessible to the internet at large). Periodically, I do a database refresh from the production site to the test site. Then any updates I want to make to the site I do to the test site first, run it through some tests, and then copy the updated files to the production site. This way, visitors don't see site updates in progress, and possible mistakes. I was wondering if anyone else takes this approach, or something similar?
normally its a good approach but what i do is do a back up and then work from the server directly and if there is a problem i just replace the the old one. its not a problem if your members or users notice the changes while you were working
i do something similar, i make a new directory on the domain as "v2" or "test" or "new" and i do all my editing there. if people wanna see it they can, if they know the url. but most dont go looking, right now i have another index page as index2.html, because the template is all done, just gotta put the content into 'er. I find this much easier, because you can manage it in one ftp connection, and can transfer back and forth alot easier.