How to back up your website locally?

To back up your website locally, you can follow these general steps:

1. Obtain FTP/SFTP access: You’ll need FTP (File Transfer Protocol) or SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) access to your website’s files. This information is typically provided your web hosting provider. If you’re unsure about how to access your website files, reach out to your hosting provider’s support for assistance.
2. Connect to your website via FTP/SFTP: Use an FTP/SFTP client like FileZilla (https://filezilla-project.org/) or Cyberduck (https://cyberduck.io/) to connect to your website using the provided FTP/SFTP credentials.
3. Navigate to the website directory: Once connected, browse through the directory structure of your website to locate the files and directories you want to back up. Usually, your website’s files are stored in the “public_html” or “www” directory.
4. Download the files: Select the files and directories you want to back up, right-click, and choose the “Download” or “Download to” option in your FTP/SFTP client. Specify a location on your local computer where you want to save the backup files.
5. Compress and archive the files: After downloading the necessary files, you may want to compress them into a single archive for easier storage and transportation. Use a compression tool like WinRAR (https://www.win-rar.com/) or 7-Zip (https://www.7-zip.org/) to create a compressed archive file (e.g., ZIP or TAR).
6. Verify the backup: Once the backup process is complete, double-check that the downloaded files and the compressed archive are intact and contain all the necessary website data.
7. Store the backup securely: Ensure you store the backup files in a safe location, such as an external hard drive, a cloud storage service, or a network-attached storage (NAS) device. It’s essential to keep multiple copies of your backups and consider using encryption or password protection for added security.

It’s worth noting that the process may vary depending on your specific hosting provider, FTP/SFTP client, or website setup. If you’re unsure about any step or encounter difficulties during the backup process, don’t hesitate to consult your hosting provider’s support or seek assistance from a technical professional.