Migrate Existing Wordpress Website to a Docker Container

This document is a guide for migrating an existing wordpress website with live data to a docker container. The container will contain its own mysql, wordpress, and phpmyadmin images.

This guide is a continuation of the Dockerized Wordpress, MySQL, and phpmyadmin with environment variables article.

Pre-requisites

1. Docker & Docker Compose
2. Running wordpress docker instance (see: Dockerized Wordpress, MySQL, and phpmyadmin with environment variables article)

Obtain a copy of the wordpress site to migrate

1. Obtain a copy of the source code of the wordpress website to migrate using any methods you prefer (SSH, SFTP, webmin, etc.)

2. Obtain a copy of the website database with the .sql file extension using any methods you prefer.

Run the dockerized wordpress container

1. Run a newly built dockerized wordpress-mysql-phpmyadmin container.

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   $ cd /mysite/
   $ docker-compose up
   

   

2. Verify if the new wordpress container is built successfully using your browser.

3. Stop the running container

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   ctrl+c
   

   

Migrate the source code

1. Copy the newly built wordpress container’s wp-config.php file to the root of the directory.

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   $ cp /path/to/wp-config.php .
   $ ls  # to verify if file has been copied
   

   

2. Delete the contents of the src/ directory.

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   $ rm -r /path/to/src/*
   $ ls src/  # to verify if the contents of the src/ directory has been deleted
   

   

3. Copy the source code of the wordpress website to migrate into the src/ directory.

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   $ cp -r /path/to/existing/wordpress/* /path/to/new/wordpress/src/
   $ ls src/  # to verify if existing wordpress source codes has been copied
   

   

4. Copy the non-default settings of the wordpress to migrate’s wp-config.php file to the root wp-config.php (the one we copied from the original wordpress container), excluding database settings. These settings are site-specific, and is necessary to ensure your wordpress site runs perfectly. If all of the settings are default, proceed to the next step.

5. Replace the src/wp-config.php with the ./wp-config.php.

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   $ cp -f wp-config.php src/wp-config.php
   $ cat src/wp-config.php  # verify if files have been copied. wp-config should now have docker configuration
   

   

6. Delete the wp_config.php located in the project root, and run the docker container

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   $ rm wp-config.php
   $ ls  # to verify if wp_config.php is deleted
   $ docker-compose up
   

   

Migrate the database

1. Run a new terminal, and copy the original .sql database into the db_data/ directory of your project.

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   $ cp /path/to/your/db.sql /path/to/your/project/db_data/
   $ ls /path/to/your/project/db_data/  # to verify if the database has been copied
   

   

2. Execute the interactive terminal of the running mysql database container, and login into mysql.

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   $ docker exec -it your_project_name_db bash
   bash# $ mysql -u your_MYSQL_USER -p
   Enter password: your_MYSQL_PASSWORD
   

   

3. Use wordpress database in mysql bash

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   mysql > $ use wordpress;
   mysql > $ show tables;  # to verify if database is empty
   

   

4. Migrate database

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   mysql > $ source /var/lib/mysql/your_database_name.sql
   mysql > $ show tables;  # check if data has been migrated
   

   

5. Open phpmyadmin in your browser localhost:your_phpmyadmin_port, and login using root as username, and your MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD root password. Expand the wordpress database, and select the wp_options table.

6. Click edit on the row with siteurl and home option name, and edit the value from https://your_website_domain into http://localhost:your_wordpress_port.

7. Refresh your browser running. You should be able to see your migrated wordpress website. You can login using your live wordpress admin credentials

8. Navigate to Setttings > Permalinks and remember the selected Permalink Structure.

9. Select any permalink structure, and save. Then re-select the original permalink structure from last step and save.

Notes

*** Migrating the database steps 5 and 6 can be done through the mysql terminal directly by:

1. Running the mysql container interactive terminal $ docker exec -it your_project_name_db bash
2. Logging into mysql $ mysql -u your_MYSQL_USER -p
3. Using the wordpress database. mysql> $ use wordpress;
4. Changing the value of siteurl

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   mysql> $ UPDATE `wp_options` SET `option_value` = 'http://localhost:your_wordpress_port' WHERE  `wp_options`.`option_name` = 'siteurl';
   

5. Changing the value of home

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   mysql> $ UPDATE `wp_options` SET `option_value` = 'http://localhost:your_wordpress_port' WHERE  `wp_options`.`option_name` = 'home';
   

Done!

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