Currently, when deploying a backup to the production environment, the staging environment is deleted. This creates unnecessary disruption for workflows that rely on staging for ongoing development, QA, and client approvals.
Requested Improvements:
The staging environment should remain intact when deploying a backup to production.
Users should have the option to deploy backups independently to staging or production environments.
Ideally, backups could be pushed to both environments without conflict — aligning with how platforms like WP Engine manage environment workflows.
Business Impact:
Developer Efficiency: Teams lose valuable time recreating staging sites after every production deployment. Preserving staging would eliminate this repetitive overhead.
Reduced Downtime: Active projects in staging environments are disrupted whenever production is updated, delaying QA and delivery schedules.
Client Confidence: Clients often rely on staging for reviews and sign-off. Deleting it undermines trust and creates friction during approvals.
Competitive Advantage: Aligning with established industry practices ensures WPMU remains competitive with hosting providers like WP Engine, who already support seamless multi-environment workflows.
This change would not only streamline developer workflows but also strengthen WPMU’s positioning as a professional-grade hosting solution.