Publishing, and what to check afterwards

You publish a site on Hostworld by putting your files in the correct document root in cPanel, then pointing your domain to us. Once DNS and SSL settle, enable HTTPS redirection and test on a phone and a desktop. If you need to tweak something after launch, make the change in the same document root and clear any caches that sit in front of the site.

Before you start

This picks up from a Hostworld cPanel account you can log in to, with your domain already added in cPanel’s Domains interface, or ready to be added.

• Know where your site must live. Your primary domain serves from public_html. Addon domains and subdomains have their own document roots. You can see or change them in cPanel → Domains. Upload to the correct domain’s document root so the right site appears at the right address.
• Have a current backup. Overwriting the wrong folder can take a site offline. In cPanel you can create and download a backup of your account before you begin. If you prefer, at least compress and download the current document root as a quick rollback.
• Decide your DNS plan. The safest order is files first, DNS second. Our nameservers are:
  • ns1.serverworld.uk
  • ns2.serverworld.uk
  • ns3.serverworld.uk
  • ns4.serverworld.uk
• Expect some wait time. Nameserver changes and DNS record updates take time to propagate due to caching. Many providers advise allowing up to 24 to 48 hours after a nameserver change. You can preview the site early by using a hosts file entry on your own device.
• SSL timing matters. AutoSSL will issue a free 90‑day certificate after DNS points to your cPanel account. Do not force HTTPS until a valid certificate is in place. You can check status in cPanel → SSL/TLS Status.
• Index file rules apply. Web servers look for a default index file such as index.html or index.php. If the name does not match what the server expects, visitors may see a directory list or a 403 error.
• If your site uses WordPress, plan HTTPS carefully. WordPress can update URLs to HTTPS, but changing the Site Address or running a search and replace in the database without care can create redirect loops or lock you out.
• Using a VPS instead of cPanel shared or reseller hosting? Publishing on a VPS is a different flow. See our VPS guides.

Risks and how to undo them

• If you upload into the wrong document root, your site will not appear at the right domain. Undo by moving or deleting the uploaded files, then upload into the correct folder.
• If you overwrite a working site, restore your cPanel backup or the compressed copy of the original folder.
• If you switch nameservers too early, visitors may see an incomplete site for up to 24 to 48 hours. Undo by switching nameservers back at your registrar while you finish, then try again later.
• If you enable Force HTTPS before AutoSSL is ready, visitors will see browser security errors. Undo by turning off Force HTTPS for that domain in cPanel → Domains until the certificate is valid.
• If you rename index.html or index.php incorrectly, the homepage may break. Undo by restoring the original filename.
• If you hand edit .htaccess and create redirect loops, remove your edits or prefer cPanel’s managed Force HTTPS Redirect instead.

Step 1: Confirm the document root for the domain you are publishing

Why this matters: cPanel serves each domain and subdomain from its own document root. Uploading to the wrong folder is the most common reason a new site does not appear.

1. In cPanel, open Domains. Find your domain and note the document root path shown there. For the primary domain it is public_html. Addon domains and subdomains list their own folders.
2. Open File Manager and browse to that folder. If you see an existing index.html or index.php, make a note. A stray index.html can mask your CMS’s index.php.

Undo step: If you later discover you published to the wrong folder, move the uploaded files into the correct document root. If you deleted something by mistake, restore your backup from before this step.

Step 2: Back up what is there now

Why this matters: publishing replaces files. If you need to roll back, a backup saves your afternoon.

• In cPanel, use the Backup interface to generate a downloadable backup of your account, or at least compress the current document root in File Manager and download the ZIP. Keep it until you are happy with the live site.

Undo step: To revert, upload your saved ZIP back into the document root and extract it, or restore the cPanel backup you generated.

Step 3: Upload your site into the correct document root

Why this matters: the publish step is putting your files where the web server looks for them.

Option A: Use cPanel File Manager

1. Open File Manager in cPanel and navigate to the document root you confirmed in Step 1.
2. Click Upload and send your site files. If you have a ZIP, upload it to the folder, then use Extract to unpack it there.

Undo step: If you extracted into the wrong folder or uploaded the wrong ZIP, delete or move those files in File Manager, then upload again into the correct location.

Option B: Use SFTP or FTP

• cPanel supports SFTP and FTP. SFTP is preferred. Configure your client as per the cPanel documentation and upload into the domain’s document root.

Undo step: If you uploaded into the wrong folder, move or delete the files in your SFTP client, then upload into the correct document root.

Step 4: Ensure a valid index file and set indexing policy

Why this matters: without a proper directory index, visitors may see a directory listing or a 403. With two index files, the wrong one may load.

1. In the document root, check that your site’s homepage is named to match the server’s DirectoryIndex list, commonly index.html or index.php.
2. If both index.html and index.php exist, remove or rename the one you do not need. For example, if your CMS uses index.php, rename any old placeholder index.html to index.html.bak.
3. If you do not want directories to be listed, set No Indexing in cPanel → Indexes for the relevant folder. Keep a valid index.* in place for the homepage.

Undo step: If the wrong page starts loading after a rename, change the filename back. If you turned indexing off and need it back for a specific folder, switch the Indexes setting to your previous choice.

Step 5: Point your domain at Hostworld

Why this matters: until DNS directs traffic to our servers, your new files will not be seen by the public.

Option A: Use Hostworld nameservers

• At your domain registrar, change the domain’s nameservers to:
  • ns1.serverworld.uk
  • ns2.serverworld.uk
  • ns3.serverworld.uk
  • ns4.serverworld.uk
• Allow time for propagation. Many providers advise up to 24 to 48 hours for nameserver changes to be reflected worldwide.

Option B: Keep your current DNS provider and update A and AAAA records

• Edit the A (and AAAA if you serve IPv6) records for your domain and www host to the IP address of your Hostworld cPanel account. Keep TTLs modest while you switch. Lower TTLs shorten how long resolvers cache answers.

Preview before switching DNS

You can map your domain to our server IP on your own computer using a hosts file entry. This lets you test the site at your real domain before the public switchover.

1. Follow the cPanel guide on modifying your hosts file for your operating system. Add a line mapping your domain and www host to your Hostworld server IP, for example:

YOUR_SERVER_IP example.com www.example.com

• Browse to your domain. Only your device will see the new site. Remove the hosts entry afterwards to see public DNS again.

Undo step: If you need to roll back public DNS, switch nameservers back at your registrar or restore the previous A and AAAA records. If you used a hosts file for preview, delete the line you added.

Step 6: Confirm DNS is pointing to the right place

Why this matters: a quick query from your device confirms you are hitting the expected server. Run the command for your operating system and compare the answer you get with your Hostworld server IP.

Windows

nslookup example.com
nslookup -type=AAAA example.com

macOS and Linux

dig +short A example.com
dig +short AAAA example.com

If the result is not the Hostworld IP for your account, wait for propagation or correct your DNS change. If you are testing with a hosts file entry, that only affects your device, which is fine for private checks.

Step 7: Wait for AutoSSL, then force HTTPS

Why this matters: modern browsers expect HTTPS. AutoSSL issues a free certificate for your domain after DNS points to your account. Forcing HTTPS too early causes browser errors.

1. In cPanel, open SSL/TLS Status. Check that your domain and its www alias show a valid certificate. AutoSSL runs automatically and polls for new certificates periodically. It may take a short while after DNS is correct.
2. Once valid, open cPanel → Domains. Enable Force HTTPS Redirect for your domain. This creates a managed redirect so http goes to https.
3. Visit your site over https. In Chrome you will see a tune icon in the address bar you can click for connection info. Warnings indicate certificate or HTTPS problems.
4. Fix mixed content. If your pages load http scripts, images or iframes inside an https page, browsers may block them or show warnings. Update hard coded http:// links in your HTML, CSS, JavaScript and CMS settings to https:// or use protocol relative URLs where appropriate.

Undo step: If you see security warnings after enabling Force HTTPS, switch it off in cPanel → Domains for that domain, correct the problem, then enable it again. Do not leave Force HTTPS off long term once a valid certificate exists.

Step 8: Verify the site on desktop and phone

Why this matters: caches vary between devices and networks. A phone on mobile data often shows what the wider public sees, even if your office Wi‑Fi still has cached DNS or content.

1. Open a private or incognito window on your desktop and load the homepage, then a few deeper pages. Check images, styles and JavaScript load without warnings. Confirm forms and key actions behave as expected.
2. Repeat the same checks on a phone over mobile data, not Wi‑Fi. Compare the results. If the phone shows the new site but your desktop does not, you are still seeing cached DNS or content on the desktop side.
3. If you use a CDN, purge the updated URLs for the fastest refresh rather than purging everything. Only use Purge Everything if targeted purges do not work.

Undo step: If any check fails due to a recent change you made, revert that change from your backup or rename the affected file back to its prior state while you investigate.

Step 9: Make a change after publishing and confirm it appears

Why this matters: this proves you have end‑to‑end control and that caches are not hiding updates.

1. Edit a visible item in your homepage. For a static site, change a line of text in the relevant HTML file in File Manager or via SFTP. For WordPress, publish a test post or change a widget title.
2. Reload the page in a private window. If the change is not visible:
   • Clear any CMS cache. In WordPress, clear any plugin cache and any server or CDN cache you have enabled.
   • Purge the specific URL from your CDN if you use one.
   • Be aware that HTTP Cache-Control headers on your site can instruct browsers or CDNs to keep old versions for a period. If you control those headers, reduce the max-age during your launch window.
3. Check the same page on your phone over mobile data. If one device shows the change and the other does not, you are looking at a caching difference. Give it a little time or clear the cache on the slower device.

Undo step: If the change causes a layout or script issue, restore the previous file from your backup or revert the edit in your CMS.

Step 10: Common publish problems and quick fixes

• I see a cPanel default page. DNS is still pointing elsewhere, or you uploaded to the wrong document root. Check Step 6 to confirm DNS and Step 1 to confirm the folder.
• I get a 403 or a directory listing. Ensure a correct index.html or index.php exists and matches the server’s DirectoryIndex. In cPanel → Indexes, set No Indexing if you do not want lists to appear, but keep a valid index file in place.
• My CMS homepage does not load, but a blank page does. A leftover index.html is likely masking index.php. Rename or remove the unused index.html in the document root.
• HTTPS shows warnings. Wait for AutoSSL to issue, then enable Force HTTPS Redirect. Fix mixed content by updating http:// links inside your theme, templates and content.
• Edits do not appear. Check for plugin, server or CDN caches and purge the specific URL. Browser or CDN caching can delay visible changes even though the files updated immediately on the origin.

If you would like us to review your setup or fix specific errors, please open a support ticket with your domain, what you changed and when you changed it.

What next

• If you are hosting on a VPS and want to publish from there instead of cPanel, start with our VPS guides.
• Looking for a UK location with low‑latency? See our London VPS range. We run our own data centre in Maidenhead, Berkshire.
• If you need help at any point, open a support ticket so we can assist and keep the history against your account.