Quick answer
Begin a new connection by confirming the account, folder, site, and software without making changes. A read-only check catches wrong aliases, duplicate installations, unexpected live paths, and missing tools before an assistant has write authority.
Before you start
Use an independently tested connection and an explicit scope from the website owner. A read-only request still may expose private content, so limit it to the files and metadata needed for the task.
What to do
- Ask the assistant to report its current working directory, account identity, and the intended site's document root without printing credentials or configuration values.
- Have it identify the CMS/framework and the relevant source files. Avoid unrestricted scans of every account, mailbox, or database.
- Compare the findings with your service details and the actual website. Resolve any mismatch before giving write permission.
- Request a change plan naming the affected files, backup, tests, and deployment target. Keep destructive actions and publication outside this inspection.
Check the result
A useful inspection ends with concrete paths and a scoped plan, not a claim that the website was changed. Save the evidence with the project so the next session can confirm it is still current.
If something does not work
If the assistant finds a different site or unexpected account, stop that connection and correct its configuration. Do not let it guess which installation is authoritative.
Related help
- Write a useful brief for an AI website coding assistant
- Review an AI-generated website change before deployment
- Keep AI development, staging and production separate
Official references
Reviewed October 31, 2026. Interfaces, vendor availability, and account features can change. Check your current account before making changes.
