Choose the new app for the job, export the current database and files, test a copy, and keep the old app available until the new one works.
Choose the smallest useful change
Start with the job you need now. WordPress suits pages and posts. WooCommerce adds real shop functions. Moodle suits structured courses. Nextcloud suits private files and team sharing. The app choice guide compares these uses. Adding a second app later is often simpler than forcing one tool to do every job.
Export the current app
The app guide describes standard, unmodified software. It also says that a full export of the database and files is available at any time. Save both parts. Include uploaded media and any app data that is stored outside the database. Keep the original export in a safe place. Do not delete the current app while you are still checking the copy.
Make a restore test
Use an off-server backup and perform a real restore test before the change. Open pages, files, forms, and logins in the test copy. If the app is WordPress, check permissions after the restore. Wrong permissions can produce a blank page even when the export looks complete. The WordPress setup guide explains this failure mode.
List the connections
- The domain and its DNS records.
- Mail delivery settings such as SMTP, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
- Users, roles, and important access details.
- Plugins, themes, custom code, or integrations.
- Scheduled tasks, forms, and external links.
This list helps you find hidden dependencies. Remove secrets from notes that you share. Keep private keys and passwords in a secure password manager.
Test before the public switch
- Load the export into the new app or test location.
- Compare the main pages, media, forms, and user access.
- Check HTTPS and the domain plan.
- Test email and any action that matters to visitors.
- Keep the old copy available while you compare results.
Do not promise yourself that a switch is complete because one page opens. A real test includes the parts that people use.
Ask for a review
If you need help with an export, a restore test, or a domain change, use the support form. State the old app, the new app, the domain, and the step where you are stuck. No migration timing or outcome is promised, so keep your own copies and make the change only when you are ready.