Hi

If you saw my post in the Welcome Mat forum you will know that I have just started out. I thought I would start with an easy question.

Coming from a software development background I understand the need for a separation between a development environment (sandbox) and a release environment. I am treating my current Joomla site as a development area to build a new site. Once it gets to the stage where I believe that it is ready for release is the release process simple?

How I am assuming it would work is:

1. Two separate databases, one development and one for release
2. Development area on separate server or hidden sub folder on host
3. Release is a matter of copying all files and directory tree from the development area to the release location and then editing the configuration file to use the release database (copying the develpoment database over the release database first)

The flaw in this process is being able to maintain the content of the release version during an upgrade.

Is this simplistic view the right way to go or are there tools and processes available to manage the development and release process?

Any advice on how I should manage this would be appreciated.

Thanks

Grant.