# How to set up staging site?

> Set up a staging copy of your Phox site to test changes safely, and how Phox licensing works for staging subdomains.

Source: https://phox.wdes.org/docs/how-to-set-up-staging-site/
Last updated: 2024-10-17

**Staging Sites**: A staging site is essentially a replica of your live (production) website, typically accessible only through a login panel. It’s a valuable resource for experimenting with new features or changes without risking disruptions to your live site.

**How to Set Up a Staging Site:**

- **Manual Setup:** Create a staging environment on your hosting account using a subdomain or subfolder, and manually clone your live site’s content. While requiring some technical knowledge, this approach offers flexibility.

### Licensing Considerations:

According to Envato’s licensing policy, a single license can be used for one final site/domain. Staging sites are considered non-public and do not require additional licenses. However, it’s essential to ensure your staging site remains private.

**Note:** If your staging site aligns with any of our predefined patterns (e.g., registration, testing), it will be classified as a staging environment and won’t count towards your production site limit.

### Subdomains (domain prefixes)

- dev.\* (dev.example.com)
- local.\* (local.example.com)
- staging.\* (staging.example.com)
- test.\* (test.example.com)
- wpdev.\* (wpdev.example.com)
- webdev.\* (webdev.example.com)
- devsite.\* (devsite.example.com)