How do you implement all those fancy hints you get e.g. from articles on Website Design? Well, you try and develop them on your Mirror Site first, in the end you upload them to your host's server. - What's that, a "Mirror Site"?

Repeatedly I have been reminded that all those great things recommended in articles on website design are of limited value only. How do you go about integrating them in your web site? Most probably, first they would ruin a good deal of what has been working already. So, many people hesitate to try it right away.

Indeed, I have to confess, many website designers (including me!) have simply overlooked the fact that there's not much point in talking about the most clever tricks, while the very basics are still left open.

"Mirror Site" = Offline-Copy of your Website

When I first launched my website, I downloaded it right away into an extra subdirectory on my PC. Thus I got my first Mirror Site. Later, I developed additional parts within that Mirror Site first. Not before everything was looking OK, I uploaded the fresh files onto my host's server. So I needed only a cursory check to see if everything worked fine even online.

Then I just needed to move the modified or fully new files back to my Mirror Site - and it was updated again, ready for the next website revision.

This does not only save you from the hassle of seeing how your web site - that was in perfect order before - is completely deranged now for some hours or days. It does not only save you the loss of income you suffer during that time, and the connection time. By a Mirror Site you can also be secure that you have a full backup of your site, in case there's any problem at your host's server. (Ok, with a good host there should never be a problem requiring your local backup. But caution is the mother of wits.)

FULL Mirror Site and TEST Mirror Site

To be sure, I do not dabble about new tricks right within my Mirror Site - after all, it is supposed to clearly reflect the current state of my online website. Instead, I create a subdirectory 'test' and copy the externals I'm going to need. Then I start developing the new things. Not before I have come with it to a promising state, I copy the respective file back to my 'full Mirror Site'. (Thus it grew meanwhile to many time its initial size.)

Then I look if the new things would work fine even in the full environment. More often than not, they don't at first. So I lick my modifications into shape, till everything seems OK. Then I copy the files I polished up, back to the 'test' subdirectory.

Uploading and Online-Test

I'm restoring the 'test' subdirectory up to the latest modifications because it is a perfect base for uploading. That's how the process is called by which the modified or new files are transferred to your host's server. If everything is fine, your online website should reflect your new modifications from that moment on.

For uploading I just can recommend using an FTP-software (File Transfer Protocol). If you need one, you can download a free 30-days trial version from

Unfortunately, there are still some potential problems. So you need an online test (but usually it will take just a few minutes).

First, you should keep in mind that your browser uses "caching". Before a file is downloaded from the Internet, it is looked for on the hard drive of your computer. Only if it is not found there, it is really downloaded. Alas, your cache will be hold also the old files, dating back to the last time you opened your online website. So, first time you open your modified website, chances are that you will see - nothing. Don't forget to switch off "Work offline" in your browser and to click "Refresh" (or press F5). Then the results of your new modifications should appear.

However, there is another significant difference between your local "Mirror Site" and your online site. On your PC you will probably have any Windows operating system or another one that is not case sensitive with regard to file names. Whereas your host might have any UNIX system that makes a difference between uppercase and lowercase letters even in file names. To reduce having problems with that, you should uncheck the option "Force lowercase remote names" (in category 'session', if your are using an Ipswitch-FTP). In a link, take care to call them with uppercase and lowercase letters exactly as in the file name.

If you are living in a country whose language has some special symbols in addition to the usual Roman character set, you should avoid those symbols in file names. Your host's UNIX-server will probably not accept them.

Finally: restore Mirror Site!

When everything looks fine so far, there is still one step left. Restore your full Mirror Site by moving all the files in your 'test' subdirectory to it. Many files will be existing there already, so you will need to "overwrite" them. Only that way you can be sure that your Mirror Site has all the new files you just uploaded. By that your Mirror Site will be updated again, reflecting the current state of your online website. Thus it is ready for your next revision.