Domains, hosting & email
Hosting
72 guides across 13 sections
Hosting40
- Backups on FlywheelHow automatic and manual backups work on Flywheel, how to restore a backup, and what to do if something goes wrong.
- Backups on KinstaHow automatic and manual backups work on Kinsta, how to restore a backup, and the different backup options available.
- Backups on WP EngineHow WP Engine's backup system (Backup Points) works, how to restore a backup, and how to create a manual backup before big changes.
- Caching on KinstaHow Kinsta's built-in server-level caching works, how to clear the cache, and when you might need to purge it.
- Caching on WP EngineHow WP Engine's built-in caching (EverCache) works, why it matters for site speed, and when and how to clear the cache.
- Flywheel billing & plansAn overview of Flywheel's hosting plans, how billing works, and what to do if you have a question about your invoice.
- Flywheel hosting: overviewAn overview of Flywheel managed WordPress hosting: what it offers, who it's for, and why we recommend it for many of our clients.
- Hosting terms, explained simplyA plain-English A to Z glossary of web hosting terminology, from bandwidth to uptime, with no technical jargon required.
- Hosting vs email: why they're separateLearn why your website hosting and your business email are completely separate services, and why changing one doesn't affect the other.
- How DNS & hosting fit togetherLearn how your domain name connects to your hosting server through DNS, and why this matters when making changes to your site.
- How to choose a hostLearn how Chykalophia selects the right hosting platform for your WordPress site, and what factors matter most.
- How to contact your host's supportWhen and how to reach Flywheel, WP Engine, or Kinsta support directly, and when to contact Chykalophia instead.
- Kinsta billing & plansAn overview of Kinsta's hosting plans, how billing works, and how to manage your MyKinsta account billing.
- Kinsta hosting: overviewAn overview of Kinsta managed WordPress hosting: what it offers, how it's built, and why we recommend it for performance-focused sites.
- Logging in to FlywheelStep-by-step instructions for logging in to your Flywheel hosting account and accessing your WordPress site.
- Logging in to MyKinstaStep-by-step instructions for logging in to MyKinsta, accessing your site dashboard, and getting into WordPress admin.
- Logging in to WP EngineStep-by-step instructions for logging in to the WP Engine User Portal and accessing your WordPress site.
- Renewing hosting & avoiding lapsesHow to make sure your hosting subscription renews on time and what to do if it lapses, so your website never goes offline unexpectedly.
- SSL on FlywheelHow SSL certificates work on Flywheel, how to check your certificate status, and what to do if you see a security warning.
- SSL on KinstaHow Kinsta manages free SSL certificates via Cloudflare, how to check your certificate status, and what to do if you see a security warning.
- SSL on WP EngineHow SSL certificates are managed on WP Engine, how to check your certificate status, and what to do if you see a security warning.
- Staging & development environments on WP EngineHow to use WP Engine's staging and development environments to test changes safely before they go live.
- Staging environments on KinstaHow to create, use, and push a staging environment on Kinsta, including selective push options for files and database.
- Staging sites on FlywheelHow to create, use, and push a staging site on Flywheel, including how to copy from live and push changes back to production.
- The Flywheel dashboard explainedA plain-English tour of the Flywheel site dashboard: what each section does and where to find key features.
- The MyKinsta dashboard explainedA plain-English tour of the MyKinsta control panel: what each section does and where to find key features for managing your site.
- The WP Engine User Portal explainedA plain-English tour of the WP Engine User Portal: what each section does and how to find key features for your site.
- Troubleshooting hosting problemsStep-by-step guidance for diagnosing and resolving the most common hosting issues, from site downtime to SSL warnings to slow loading.
- Understanding your hosting billA plain-English breakdown of what you're paying for on your hosting invoice, including plans, overages, add-ons, and what's covered.
- Uptime, downtime & what they meanWhat uptime and downtime mean for any website, whether it runs on WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Shopify, Webflow or custom code, what causes outages, and what to do when your site goes offline.
- Website hosting, explainedEverything you need to know about hosting your website, from the basics to managing your account on Flywheel, WP Engine, or Kinsta.
- What happens when we migrate your hostA plain-English walkthrough of the host migration process: what we do, what you need to do, and what to expect.
- What is a CDN?Learn what a content delivery network (CDN) is, how it speeds up your website, and why managed WordPress hosts include one.
- What is a staging site?Learn what a staging site is, why it matters, and how we use it to test changes safely before they go live on your website.
- What is managed WordPress hosting?Learn what managed WordPress hosting is, how it differs from basic hosting, and why we use it for our clients' sites.
- What is SSL & HTTPS?Learn what SSL certificates and HTTPS are, why they matter for your website, and how they're managed on your hosting platform.
- What is web hosting?A plain-English explanation of what web hosting is, why every website needs it, and how it fits into your online presence.
- Who pays for hosting?A plain-English explanation of how hosting costs are handled between you and Chykalophia, and what to expect depending on your arrangement.
- WP Engine billing & plansAn overview of WP Engine's hosting plans, how billing works, and what to do if you have a question about your account charges.
- WP Engine hosting: overviewAn overview of WP Engine managed WordPress hosting: what it offers, who it's for, and how it differs from other platforms.
Developer platforms8
- Amazon S3 access & file storageHow S3 buckets store application files, how access is granted, and how to share files without making a bucket public.
- AWS accounts & IAM accessHow AWS account access works: the root user, IAM users and roles, access keys, and the practices that prevent an expensive mistake.
- Developer platforms & services → start hereReference guides for the hosting, cloud, and developer services behind custom applications: access, roles, secrets, and ownership.
- Environment variables & secretsWhat environment variables are, where secrets should live, how to rotate them, and why they must never be committed to a Git repository.
- Managed PostgreSQL accessHow managed Postgres databases are accessed, how roles and connection strings work, and what to check about backups before you need them.
- Managed Redis accessWhat Redis is used for in an application, how access and connection strings work, and why it should never be your only copy of anything.
- Render access & service ownershipHow Render workspaces, members, and services work: inviting people, managing environment groups, and transferring ownership.
- Vercel access & project ownershipHow Vercel teams and roles work, how to invite people, where environment variables live, and how to transfer a project you own.
Give us access7
- Give us access to your DreamHost hostingHow to grant Chykalophia account privileges in your DreamHost panel, and which privileges to tick.
- Give us access to your Flywheel hostingHow to invite Chykalophia as a collaborator to your Flywheel site to manage backups, staging, and performance.
- Give us access to your Kinsta hostingHow to invite Chykalophia as a company user or a single-site user in your MyKinsta account.
- Give us access to your WP Engine hostingHow to add Chykalophia as a user on your WP Engine account so we can manage your hosting environment.
- Give us access to your WPMU DEV HubHow to invite Chykalophia as a team member in The Hub, and which role to pick.
- Give us cPanel / shared hosting accessHow to securely share access to your cPanel hosting environment for deep technical optimizations and file management.
- Give us delegate access to GoDaddyHow to securely invite our team to manage your GoDaddy domains and hosting without sharing your personal password or billing details.
Performance3
- Caching explainedWhat caching is, how it makes websites faster, the different types of caching, and the one important tradeoff to know about.
- How a CDN speeds up your siteWhat a Content Delivery Network (CDN) is, how it makes your site faster for visitors around the world, and whether you need one.
- How hosting affects speedWhy your choice of web host has a major impact on your site's speed, what to look for in a fast host, and what managed WordPress hosting offers.
Webflow3
- Connecting your domain to WebflowHow to point your custom domain name to your Webflow site so visitors reach it at your branded address.
- Staging vs the live siteThe difference between your Webflow staging subdomain and your live production site, and how to use both safely.
- Webflow hosting explainedHow Webflow's built-in hosting works, what it includes, and how it compares to traditional web hosting.
Migrations2
- Migrating between hosting providersWhat a website hosting migration involves, how long it takes, what causes downtime, and how we minimize disruption when moving your site to a new host.
- Migrations: moving your website, email, or platformGuides for migrating between website platforms, email providers, and hosting providers, with honest advice on timelines, risks, and what to expect.
Website care2
- How we test changes before they go liveWhat a staging site is, why we use one, and how it protects your live website from being accidentally broken.
- What to expect during planned maintenanceWhat planned maintenance is, when we do it, how we notify you, and what happens to your site while it's underway.
WordPress2
- My WordPress site is downWhat to do when your WordPress website is unavailable: a calm, step-by-step guide to diagnosing and reporting the problem.
- WordPress.com vs WordPress.orgTwo products share the "WordPress" name but work very differently. This guide explains which one you have and why it matters.