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Site File Manager Operations

Published · Last updated: May 2026 · 2 min read

Who this is for

Users who need to browse, edit, upload, or delete files in their site's document root from the CloudAIPilot browser interface.

Prerequisites

  • Site is running on a server with SSH connectivity.

What the File Manager Does

The File Manager tab on the site detail provides a browser-based file browser scoped to the site's document root (e.g., /var/www/myblog). You can:

  • Browse directories and files
  • View and edit text files (PHP, HTML, CSS, JS, .htaccess, etc.)
  • Upload files from your local computer
  • Delete files and directories
  • Create new files and directories

All operations run via SSH as the cloudpilot user with appropriate permissions.

How to Open the File Manager

  1. Open the site detail.
  2. Click the Files tab.
  3. The root of the site's document root is displayed.

How to Edit a File

  1. In the File Manager, click on a file to open it.
  2. The file content appears in a text editor.
  3. Make your changes.
  4. Click Save.

Caution: Editing server configuration files (like wp-config.php or .htaccess) incorrectly can break your site. Take a backup or make a copy before editing critical files.

How to Upload Files

  1. In the File Manager, navigate to the destination directory.
  2. Click Upload.
  3. Select files from your local computer.
  4. Files are uploaded via the secure SSH/SFTP connection.

For large file transfers (many files or large archives), using SFTP directly is more efficient. See KB-03-12: SFTP Setup and Access.

How to Delete Files or Directories

  1. Select the file or directory.
  2. Click Delete.
  3. Confirm.

⚠️ File deletion is permanent and not recoverable from within CloudAIPilot. Before deleting important files, verify you have a backup.

How to Create Files and Directories

  1. In the File Manager, click + New File or + New Folder.
  2. Enter a name.
  3. For new files, enter the content.
  4. Save.

Limitations

  • The File Manager is intended for occasional edits and small uploads. For bulk file management, use SFTP.
  • Binary files (images, archives, executables) can be uploaded but not opened in the browser editor.
  • Files are scoped to the site's document root. To access files outside the document root, use the server-level Terminal.

What Success Looks Like

Changes are saved and reflected immediately when you browse to the file again. For live config changes (like Nginx configs), remember to reload the service from the Services tab.

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