Switching hosts always sounds simple until you're mid-migration and realize you forgot something. A rough checklist that's saved me pain in the past:
- Lower your DNS TTL a day or two beforehand so the eventual switch propagates fast instead of leaving you in limbo for 24-48 hours.
- Export more than just the database. Cron jobs, mail routing/SPF-DKIM records, SSL certs, and any server-level config are easy to forget until something silently breaks.
- Test the new environment before pointing DNS at it. Most hosts let you preview via a temporary URL or hosts-file edit - use it.
- Keep the old host active for a week or two after switching as a safety net, in case of an overlooked dependency.
- Check for hardcoded URLs/IPs in configs or code that assume the old server.