What was built.
The problem.
Returning to a large-scale production site always carries risks, but this update significantly increased those stakes. The project required coordinating three WordPress developers simultaneously on a shared codebase, managing version control to avoid conflicts, and ultimately migrating a development environment back to the live domain. At over 30GB, the site was too large for conventional migration plugins to handle reliably, resulting in two full rollbacks before a viable solution was found. Additionally, the brand update introduced new technical requirements, including GSAP scroll animations and an API-connected medical aid plan display via iframe, which needed to be integrated without disrupting the existing site architecture.
How it was solved.
Working through Monkey and River, I served as the lead coordinator for the development team, overseeing version control for three developers, reviewing their work, and ensuring a stable codebase throughout the project. We introduced GSAP scroll animations to bring the refreshed brand to life. Additionally, we transitioned the medical aid plan pages from custom post types to an iframe-based display, which connects to a newly built external dashboard and API layer. When our attempts to use plugin-based migration tools failed twice due to the large size of the site (over 30GB), I found a workaround by migrating the development environment directly to the live domain via FTP. This painstaking process ultimately proved to be a reliable solution, allowing us to launch the site without any further issues.
What it achieved.
The revamped Fedhealth website has successfully provided a modernized brand experience, building on the solid foundation of the original 2024 version. Although the migration was complex, it was completed without any data loss or downtime. This project has strengthened the ongoing partnership between Monkey, River, The Cheese Has Moved, and Fedhealth, demonstrating effective problem-solving under pressure.
Built by
Matthew Proudfoot
WordPress Developer and Conductor at Monkey & River, based in Cape Town, South Africa. He builds websites, and leads development teams.
