How to synchronize database changes between your staging and production WordPress environments on Azure App Service without disrupting live data

Question

How to synchronize database changes between your staging and production WordPress environments on Azure App Service without disrupting live data

Mohit Gupta 40

I'm managing a WordPress site hosted on Azure App Service with deployment slots for production and staging environments. Each slot connects to its own MySQL database to prevent cross-environment data issues. While the production site continuously receives live user updates, the staging site is used for development, including installing new plugins and adjusting settings. Given that these changes often involve database modifications, I'm seeking best practices for synchronizing or merging database changes between the staging and production environments to maintain data integrity. How can I effectively manage and merge database changes from the staging environment into the production database without disrupting live data?

Sam Rueby 86 Reputation points

2025-03-29T16:08:50.2466667+00:00

There's a few options.

I assume you're using Azure Database for MySQL flexible server. You could use this service's ability to restore a backup to a new database. The major downside here is you cannot restore to the same server. You can only restore to a new server. This will have some cost implications.

Another option is to use mysqldump to create a backup during a maintenance window or otherwise quiet-time. This could easily be restored to a new database on the same server, avoiding the above cost implications.
Mohit Gupta 40 Reputation points

2025-03-30T03:54:56.9433333+00:00

Thanks, the issue is to create a staging where I am doing development, I am clonig the database using backup, now this staging-databse is getting updated due to develipment work, adding new plugins, their setttings, forms, etc. But the live site database is also getting updated. so I have 2 databses which are forked at one point and both have individual changes, how to handle their merge ? or how is best be handled ?

1 answer

Your answer

Sam Rueby 86 Reputation points

2025-03-29T16:08:50.2466667+00:00

There's a few options.

I assume you're using Azure Database for MySQL flexible server. You could use this service's ability to restore a backup to a new database. The major downside here is you cannot restore to the same server. You can only restore to a new server. This will have some cost implications.

Another option is to use mysqldump to create a backup during a maintenance window or otherwise quiet-time. This could easily be restored to a new database on the same server, avoiding the above cost implications.
Mohit Gupta 40 Reputation points

2025-03-30T03:54:56.9433333+00:00

Thanks, the issue is to create a staging where I am doing development, I am clonig the database using backup, now this staging-databse is getting updated due to develipment work, adding new plugins, their setttings, forms, etc. But the live site database is also getting updated. so I have 2 databses which are forked at one point and both have individual changes, how to handle their merge ? or how is best be handled ?

Answer 1

Mohit Gupta 40

I am looking to understand the best practices and how is this solved in industry in general or on azure in particular, as this seems an obvious common problem

Prabhavathi Manchala 1,050 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-03-31T06:21:36.5333333+00:00
Hi Mohit Gupta,

The problem is about merging two databases, one for live user data (production) and one for testing changes (staging). Over time, the two databases diverge, with production getting live updates and staging having development changes. The issue is to merge them without losing live data or overwriting important development changes.

To prevent overwriting live data, export only the necessary changes (like plugin settings) from staging to production. Use tools like WP Migrate DB Pro to selectively migrate changes without affecting user data or manually import specific plugin settings.

Use tools like Liquibase or Flyway to monitor database changes and ensure they are applied consistently across both environments.

For content data, use a diffing strategy with tools like mysqldump and Redgate's MySQL Data Compare to compare and selectively migrate changes between databases.

Make sure to test the merged database in a separate environment before deploying it to production to ensure data integrity and prevent any disruptions.

Please find the link below related to this issue.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/78010457/production-staging-for-wordpress-on-azure-app-service
Prabhavathi Manchala 1,050 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-04-01T17:58:39.4633333+00:00

Hi Mohit Gupta,

We haven’t heard from you on the last response and was just checking back to see if you have a resolution yet. In case if you have any resolution, please do share that same with the community as it can be helpful to others. Otherwise, will respond with more details and we will try to help.
Prabhavathi Manchala 1,050 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-04-03T01:16:41.79+00:00

Hi Mohit Gupta,

We haven’t heard from you on the last response and was just checking back to see if you have a resolution yet. In case if you have any resolution, please do share that same with the community as it can be helpful to others. Otherwise, will respond with more details and we will try to help.

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How to ​synchronize database changes between your staging and production WordPress environments on Azure App Service without disrupting live data

1 answer