Premium Hosting for next-gen websites
OJS Website Migration: How to Move Your Academic Journal Safely
Moving an OJS journal to a new server requires careful handling of submissions, databases, and config files to avoid breaking the platform.
Real Problem
When journals move to new hosting, they often face broken links, missing submissions, or database connection errors because OJS relies on specific file paths.
Practical Solution
A safe OJS migration involves moving the database, the public web files, and the private submissions folder, then carefully updating the config.inc.php file.
The Three Pillars Of OJS Migration
An OJS migration has three core components: the MySQL database, the public source code, and the private files directory.
If any of these three are out of sync, the journal will not function correctly.
Handling The Private Files Directory
The private files directory contains all user submissions, reviews, and published galleys. It is often very large.
This directory must be moved completely and its new absolute path must be updated in the OJS config file.
Database Export And Import
Export the MySQL database ensuring character encoding is preserved. Import it to the new server and verify that tables match exactly.
Do not attempt to upgrade OJS during a server migration. Migrate first, test, and then upgrade later.
Updating Configuration And DNS
Update config.inc.php with the new database credentials, base URL, and file paths. Test the site using a hosts file before changing public DNS.
Once verified, switch the DNS and monitor email functionality.
Step-by-Step Action Plan
Backup everything
Download the database, public files, and the private submissions directory.
Restore on new server
Upload all files and import the database into the new environment.
Update configuration
Edit config.inc.php with new paths and database details, then test.
Questions People Usually Ask
Why are PDFs missing after migrating OJS?
This usually happens if the private files directory was not copied correctly or the path in config.inc.php is wrong.
Should I upgrade OJS while migrating?
No. It is much safer to migrate the existing version first, ensure it works, and upgrade as a separate project.
How do I avoid downtime during OJS migration?
By setting up and testing the journal on the new server before updating your domain DNS records.
Afraid of breaking your journal during migration?
StarHost.pk offers expert, zero-downtime OJS migration services to our high-speed NVMe servers.