Mirror Domains & Staging Environments — DreamHost Setup

Details
Category: Guides
  • Applicable Software: MokonyxPlatform
  • Min Version Number: In Development
  • Max Version Number: Not Applicable

Prerequisites

  • DreamHost panel access to the parent domain.
  • Parent site on PHP 8.3+.
  • Mokonyx Platform installed, with Developer Tools available.
  • The child/mirror domain or subdomain ready to add.

1. Note the parent domain's settings

  1. Open Manage Websites — panel.dreamhost.com
  2. Select Manage on the parent domain.
  3. Open the Settings tab.
  4. Note the PHP version (must be 8.3+).
  5. Click Modify on Directories and note the full Web Directory including the user prefix — e.g. /home/<user>/example.com. Record the user (/home/<user>) and the suffix (example.com).

2. Add the mirror (child) domain

  1. Back on Manage Websites, click Add Website.
  2. Enter the domain name; continue to add a subdomain or register/add the domain.
  3. Click Custom Setup.
  4. Select the same user as the parent domain.
  5. Expand Advanced Settings.
  6. In Web Directory, paste the same web directory you noted for the parent, so the child serves the parent's files.
  7. Set the PHP version to match the parent domain.
  8. Save.

3. Register the mirror in Mokonyx

  1. Open your site administrator — https://YOURDOMAIN/administrator
  2. Open the Mokonyx Dashboard — index.php?option=com_mokonyxplatform
  3. Click Configure on Developer Tools.
  4. Set Status to Enabled and Save (keep the screen open).
  5. Click Mirror Domains & Staging Environments.
  6. Enter your child domain and configure its options (e.g. the template style to serve on the mirror).
  7. Save or Save & Close.

4. Verify

  1. Once the child domain's DNS has propagated, browse to it — it should serve the same site as the parent and be recognised as a mirror.

Troubleshooting

  • Child shows a DreamHost parking/default page — the Web Directory didn't match the parent's (re-check step 11).
  • White screen / class or version errors — the child's PHP version differs from the parent (step 12).
  • “Not a recognised mirror” — confirm the domain was added in Developer Tools (step 19) exactly as you browse it (mind www. vs bare).
  • Domain won't resolve — allow DNS propagation time (up to a few hours); verify nameservers/records.
  • Permission errors — the child must use the same shell user as the parent (step 9).

Notes

  • A mirror shares the parent's files and database — changes via either URL affect the same install.
  • Mokonyx uses the registered mirror list to recognise the alternate hostname (absolute URLs, cookies, dev-only behaviour) and to serve the configured template style per mirror.
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