--- title: "SL Migrations: Docs | phatdev.net" url: https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations lang: en updated: 2026-10-20 alternate: vi: https://phatdev.net/docs/sl-migrations markdown: https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations.md --- # SL Migrations > An in-house WordPress backup, migration and restore tool developed by Steven Lam. License: GPL version 2 or later (GPL-2.0-or-later). Details: https://phatdev.net/en/licenses.md ## Getting started - [Getting started with SL Migrations](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/getting-started.md): An introduction to the plugin and how to create your first backup package. - [Quick Start - End-to-end Backup and Restore](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/quick-start.md): The full workflow from creating a backup to a successful restore on a new server. - [Changelog](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/changelog.md): All notable changes to the SL Migrations plugin are recorded here. ## Creating & managing backup packages - [Create a new backup package](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/create-backup.md): The steps to create a backup and the parts you can customize. - [Schedule automatic backups](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/schedule-backup.md): Set up recurring backups through WP-Cron or system cron. ## Restore & install - [Recovery Point - Quick restore when the site breaks](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/recover-a-backup.md): Bookmark a backup as an emergency restore point and restore in one click. - [Import Install - Restore onto a running WordPress site](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/import-install.md): Restore an archive into an existing WordPress site without uploading the installer. - [Overwrite Install - Overwrite the current site](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/overwrite-install.md): Delete the whole running site and restore from a backup. - [Classic Install - The basic 4-step restore](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/classic-install.md): The classic install workflow, the most familiar and simplest. - [Database Install - Restore the database only](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/database-install.md): Restore only the database from a backup, leaving the current site files untouched. - [Two-Part Install - For large sites](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/two-part-install.md): Split extraction and database import into two separate phases to handle large sites. - [Restore WordPress from a backup](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/restore-wordpress-from-backup.md): An overview of the restore options and how to choose the right mode. - [Migrate WordPress to a new server](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/how-to-migrate-wordpress-site.md): The workflow for moving a whole site to a new host with a DNS cutover. - [Fixing a Recovery Install that will not launch](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/how-to-handle-recovery-install-setup-launch-issues.md): The recovery URL will not open or the installer crashes. - [Fixing Import Install upload failures](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/how-to-handle-import-install-upload-launch-issues.md): The archive upload fails or the import will not run. - [Files to remove after installing](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/which-files-need-to-be-removed-after-an-install.md): The files the installer leaves behind - they must be removed for security. ## Troubleshooting - [Fixing Permission Denied errors](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/how-to-fix-file-permissions-issues.md): A build or restore fails with Permission Denied - how to handle it. - [Fixing Database Write errors](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/how-to-fix-database-write-issues.md): The database build phase or restore step 2 reports a write error. - [Fixing File I/O errors during Build](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/how-to-resolve-file-io-related-build-issues.md): The build is slow or fails with I/O errors. - [Fixing Zip Format errors](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/how-to-resolve-zip-format-related-build-issues.md): The archive has a format error or cannot be extracted. - [Fixing Timeouts during Build / Restore](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/how-to-handle-server-timeout-issues.md): The server times out - the build or installer stops midway. - [Fixing Dependency Check errors](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/how-to-resolve-dependency-checks.md): The scanner reports a missing PHP extension or function. - [Fixing Schedule Build Failures](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/how-to-resolve-schedule-build-failures.md): The backup schedule does not run, or runs and then fails silently. - [Builds Getting Stuck at a Certain Point](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/how-to-resolve-builds-getting-stuck-at-a-certain-point.md): Progress stops midway and does not advance. - [Scanner Warnings and Errors - How to Handle Them](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/how-to-resolve-scanner-warnings-errors-and-timeout-issues.md): Explains the scanner's warnings and when they can be ignored. ## Advanced configuration - [Managing server resources (CPU / RAM / Disk)](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/how-to-manage-server-resources-cpu-memory-disk.md): Tune the server so builds and restores do not cause downtime. - [The Different Zip Engines](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/how-to-work-with-the-different-zip-engines.md): Compare ZipArchive / DupArchive / Shell Zip and choose the right engine. - [DAF Files & DupArchive Extraction Tool](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/how-to-work-with-daf-files-and-the-duparchive-extraction-tool.md): The .daf format: its structure, how the installer extracts it, and a note on command-line tools. - [Turn off Email Summary](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/how-to-disable-email-summaries.md): The plugin sends a periodic summary email - how to turn it off. - [Multisite Support](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/how-does-sl_migrations-handle-multisite-support.md): How the plugin handles WordPress Multisite (network). - [Set up Amazon S3 Storage](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/amazon-s3-step-by-step.md): Connect the plugin to Amazon S3 to store backups. - [Amazon S3 - IAM Policy](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/amazon-s3-policy-setup.md): A minimum-permission policy for the IAM user used with the plugin. ## Other - [README](https://phatdev.net/en/docs/sl-migrations/readme.md): WordPress backup, migration and restore plugin for internal use.