Yes, Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) can work when moving a WordPress site to GitHub, but there are a few considerations to keep in mind. ACF is a popular plugin used in WordPress that allows developers to create custom fields and custom field groups for posts, pages, and custom post types.
When you transfer your WordPress site to GitHub, typically you’re either version-controlling your codebase or deploying your site using a static site generator. Here are some scenarios regarding ACF and a WordPress-to-GitHub transfer:
Using Git for Version Control: If you’re using Git to version control your WordPress site, using ACF is straightforward. You should include the ACF plugin and any associated custom fields in your Git repository. Ensure both the plugin and your WordPress database (where ACF field settings are stored) are synchronized. Note that ACF data is stored in the database, so proper migration or backup of your database to a local environment or another hosting service will be necessary.
Static Site Generators: If you’re converting your WordPress site into a static site (e.g., using tools like Jekyll or Gatsby), ACF won’t directly work because static sites don’t utilize the dynamic features of WordPress, including custom fields. In this case, you can export the ACF field data into JSON or another format and build your static site using those exported values, but it will no longer have the dynamic behavior or the admin interface provided by WordPress and ACF.
Remote Hosting Solutions: If you’re using GitHub Pages to host your static site, you need to consider that GitHub Pages serves static HTML files, and it won’t run PHP, which is required for WordPress and ACF. Alternatively, you can use services like Netlify or Vercel that can handle more complex setups if you’re deploying a headless WordPress instance with a front-end framework.
In summary, ACF can work when managing a WordPress project in conjunction with Git and relevant workflows. However, if your intent includes moving to a static setup, ACF data needs to be exported and adapted for use in static site generators, which may require significant additional effort.
One response to “Can ACF function when WordPress is transferred to GitHub?”
Great post! You’ve outlined some essential considerations for using ACF with a WordPress site transitioned to GitHub. I’d like to add another layer to the discussion regarding the workflow involved in maintaining ACF data.
When using version control with Git, one thing to keep in mind is the importance of clear documentation regarding ACF field groups and any changes made to them. Since ACF stores a significant amount of data in the database, it can become challenging to track those changes across different environments, especially if multiple developers are working on the project. Implementing a routine for exporting ACF field groups and keeping them in sync with your Git commits can mitigate conflicts and ensure consistency.
For those moving towards static site generators, I suggest looking into solutions like the ACF to REST API plugin. This plugin allows you to expose ACF fields through WordPress’s REST API, enabling you to fetch and render this data in a static setup, which can bridge the gap between dynamic WordPress features and the static site environment. It’s a great way to maintain some of the dynamic capabilities of ACF while still enjoying the benefits of a static site.
Lastly, if considering migrating to GitHub for hosting, exploring tools such as WP-CLI within your development process can streamline the management of your ACF fields, even in a version-controlled workflow. Automating imports and exports can save a lot of time and effort when transitioning from development to production.
Thanks for bringing up this topic; it’s imperative for developers to consider these