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STAGING.md

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+# Setting Up a Staging Environment for Dropship V2
+
+This guide outlines the process of setting up a staging environment for the Dropship V2 project. A staging environment allows you to test changes in a production-like setting before deploying to the live site.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+- A separate server or hosting environment for staging (e.g., a separate Heroku app)
+- Access to a staging database (can be a separate database on the same server as production)
+
+## Steps to Set Up Staging
+
+1. Clone the repository on your staging server:
+   ```
+   git clone https://github.com/CrzyHAX91/dropshipv2.git
+   cd dropshipv2
+   ```
+
+2. Create a new branch for staging:
+   ```
+   git checkout -b staging
+   ```
+
+3. Set up environment variables for staging:
+   Create a .env file in the project root and add the following variables:
+   ```
+   DEBUG=False
+   SECRET_KEY=your_staging_secret_key_here
+   DATABASE_URL=your_staging_database_url
+   ALLOWED_HOSTS=your-staging-domain.com
+   ```
+
+4. Install dependencies:
+   ```
+   pip install -r requirements.txt
+   ```
+
+5. Run database migrations:
+   ```
+   python manage.py migrate
+   ```
+
+6. Collect static files:
+   ```
+   python manage.py collectstatic
+   ```
+
+7. Set up a process manager (e.g., Gunicorn) to run the application.
+
+8. Configure your web server (e.g., Nginx) to serve the application.
+
+## Deploying to Staging
+
+1. Push changes to the staging branch:
+   ```
+   git push origin staging
+   ```
+
+2. On your staging server, pull the changes:
+   ```
+   git pull origin staging
+   ```
+
+3. Restart your application server.
+
+## Testing in Staging
+
+- Perform thorough testing of all features in the staging environment.
+- Test with a copy of production data (be sure to anonymize sensitive information).
+- Verify that all third-party integrations work correctly in the staging environment.
+
+## Promoting Staging to Production
+
+Once testing in staging is complete and successful:
+
+1. Merge the staging branch into main:
+   ```
+   git checkout main
+   git merge staging
+   git push origin main
+   ```
+
+2. Deploy the main branch to your production environment.
+
+Remember to always test thoroughly in staging before deploying to production.