Back to Community
Home / Community / Plugin → The events calendar

Why You Should Always Test The Events Calendar Updates on a Staging Site First

58 threads Sep 9, 2025 Plugin → The events calendar

Content

If you manage a WordPress site using The Events Calendar, you've likely seen the recurring advice in update announcements: "As always, we recommend testing updates on a staging site first." This isn't just a casual suggestion; it's a critical best practice for maintaining a stable, functional website. This guide explains why this step is so important and how to do it effectively.

The Core Recommendation from The Events Calendar Team

An analysis of numerous release announcements from The Events Calendar team reveals a consistent and unwavering message. In every single update post—from major feature releases like version 6.9.0 introducing the Onboarding Wizard to minor maintenance patches like version 6.11.2.1—the same crucial advice is given: users should test the plugin update on a staging site before applying it to their live, production website.

This recommendation is a cornerstone of their release strategy, emphasizing a proactive approach to site management.

Why This Practice Is So Important

Testing on a staging site first acts as a safety net, protecting your live website from potential disruptions. The primary reasons for this include:

  • Preventing Conflicts: WordPress sites are complex ecosystems with themes, plugins, and custom code. An update to one plugin, like The Events Calendar, can sometimes have unintended interactions with other parts of your site, causing layout issues or functionality breaks.
  • Avoiding Fatal Errors: As seen in updates like version 6.11.2.1 and 6.12.0.1, some patches specifically address potential fatal errors. Testing in a safe environment ensures you won't be greeted by a 'White Screen of Death' on your live site.
  • Ensuring Compatibility: Some updates introduce new minimum version requirements for other plugins. For example, The Events Calendar 6.11.2.1 requires Event Tickets 5.21.1.1 or higher. A staging site is the perfect place to verify that your entire plugin suite is compatible.
  • Validating Customizations: If you have custom code or templates for your calendar views, an update could change underlying functions and break your custom work. Testing allows you to identify and fix these issues without affecting your visitors.

How to Create and Use a Staging Site

If you don't have a staging site, setting one up is easier than you might think. Here are the most common methods:

  1. Hosting Provider Tools: Many modern WordPress hosting companies (e.g., WP Engine, SiteGround, Kinsta, Flywheel) offer one-click staging site creation directly within your hosting control panel. This is often the simplest and most reliable method.
  2. Staging Plugins: Several plugins can clone your live site to a subdirectory or subdomain to create a staging environment. Popular options include WP Staging and Duplicator.
  3. Manual Creation: For advanced users, you can manually create a subdomain, copy your WordPress files, and export/import your database to create a duplicate site for testing.

Once your staging site is ready, the process is straightforward:

  1. Clone your live site to the staging environment.
  2. Update The Events Calendar (and any other plugins if necessary) on the staging site.
  3. Thoroughly test all calendar functionalities: event creation, calendar views, single event pages, search, and any ticketing or registration processes.
  4. Check other key areas of your site (e.g., homepage, blog posts) to ensure the update didn't cause any unexpected side effects.
  5. If everything works perfectly, you can confidently update your live site. If you encounter issues, you can troubleshoot on staging without any pressure or risk.

What to Do If You Find a Problem on Staging

Discovering a conflict on your staging site is a success—it means the process worked! The most common troubleshooting steps include:

  • Theme Conflict Test: Temporarily switch your staging site to a default WordPress theme (like Twenty Twenty-Four). If the issue disappears, the problem lies within your theme.
  • Plugin Conflict Test: Deactivate all other plugins except The Events Calendar on your staging site. If the issue is resolved, reactivate your plugins one-by-one to identify the culprit.
  • Check Documentation: Review the specific release notes for the update you are testing. The Events Calendar team often includes important information about known issues or necessary steps for a smooth update.

By following the consistent advice from The Events Calendar team and making staging site testing a non-negotiable part of your update workflow, you can enjoy new features and important security patches with confidence, knowing your live website remains safe and operational for your visitors.

Related Support Threads Support