Staging a Website?

[ack]

What is the best way to redesign a large website where I can show the client progress? I dont want the website live, yet I want it to function and work?

Should I create a directory on the main server and put all the files there? Not sure how to go about this ??

[felgall]

Should I create a directory on the main server and put all the files there?

If you do that and then password protect the directory, you will then be able to control who can see what is there.

[Basil]

I would just set up a subdomain for the demo site and not bother protecting the directory unless there's sensitive information or dangerous functionality on it, which there shouldn't be since it's just a demo.

I do all of my work offline on a local apache server, and if it's anything serious I use a version control system and submit changes to a repository.