📦 Move a Website from Shared Hosting to VPS

A VPS gives you more control and performance compared to shared hosting. If you're ready to switch to a Bit.Hosting VPS, follow this guide to safely and quickly move your website with minimal risks and no downtime.

🔧 Step 1: Prepare Your Bit.Hosting VPS

• 🖥 Order a VPS with suitable resources and operating system
• ⚙️ Install the required stack: Apache/Nginx, PHP, MySQL or PostgreSQL
• 🔐 Configure access (SSH, FTP, UFW/iptables)
• 📁 Set up directories and match the structure of your old hosting

📂 Step 2: Transfer Website Files

• 📥 Download your website files from the old host via FTP or file manager
• 📤 Upload them to the VPS using SCP, rsync, WinSCP or SFTP
• 🗂 Make sure file permissions and structure are preserved

💾 Step 3: Transfer the Database

• 🧰 Export your database to a .sql file via phpMyAdmin or mysqldump
• 📤 Upload the SQL dump to your VPS and import it into your new database
• 🛠 Update your site's configuration files (e.g. wp-config.php, .env)
• 🔎 Test the database connection and data integrity

🌐 Step 4: Connect Your Domain

• 📌 Update your domain’s A-record to point to the new VPS IP
• 🕓 Set TTL to 300 seconds for faster DNS propagation
• 🔒 Install an SSL certificate (e.g. via Let’s Encrypt)
• ✅ Verify the domain correctly resolves to the VPS

✅ Final Checks

• 🧪 Test everything: page navigation, forms, login, shopping cart
• 🔍 Check logs: Apache, Nginx, PHP
• 📈 Ensure your site loads faster than on the old host
• 🧾 Only cancel the old hosting once everything runs stably on the VPS