Prepare the site before asking for a change.
The technical DIY route starts with authorized access to the correct WordPress website and a local project containing the code relevant to your task.
This chapter describes that preparation. For Shuttle, use the current supported in-app connection process rather than assuming the DIY steps are its installation flow.
Confirm the website and environment.
Record the exact website address and identify its hosting owner. Decide whether the work belongs on a local preview, staging or production.
Confirm who is allowed to inspect the site and who can approve changes. A login that reaches the hosting account still needs to be tied to the correct WordPress installation.
Establish only the access needed.
For the guide’s local-code setup, confirm that the hosting supports the secure server access your developer needs. SSH is one route used for that work; a device key identifies the authorized computer.
Limit access to the required site and environments. Complete provider sign-in privately and keep passwords and private keys outside AI chat.
Bring the relevant files into the project.
Obtain the theme and custom code that control the page or behavior being worked on. Have the project identify the active files rather than editing an unused copy.
Set up a local preview where practical. Keep production customer records separate from the code project. Document any limitations of the preview.
Save the working version before editing.
Record the starting code version in a private repository and identify the corresponding live environment. Arrange separate database and upload backups where the task requires them.
The baseline lets you compare later code changes. It is not a substitute for checking the affected website behavior.
Check that the project is ready to inspect.
Before the first task, confirm the site address, environment, relevant code, available preview and recovery coverage. Record anything that remains unknown.
Now document the site’s structure and rules so the next request has a reliable starting point.