Yes, you can absolutely hide your WordPress site while you're making edits. This is a common practice to prevent visitors from seeing a broken or unfinished version of your site. Here are several methods you can use:

1. Using a Maintenance Mode Plugin:

- This is the most user-friendly and recommended method. Plugins like "SeedProd," "WP Maintenance Mode," or "Coming Soon Page & Maintenance Mode" allow you to easily put your site into maintenance mode. These plugins typically display a customizable "Coming Soon" or "Under Maintenance" page to visitors while you work on the backend.

- How to use: Install and activate your chosen plugin. Configure the settings to enable maintenance mode and customize the message and design of the maintenance page. You can usually specify which users (like administrators) can still access the full site.

2. Using a Staging Environment:

- A staging environment is a copy of your live site where you can make changes without affecting the public-facing version. Once you're satisfied with your edits, you can push the changes to your live site.

- How to use: Many hosting providers offer one-click staging environments. Alternatively, you can create a staging site manually using a plugin like "Duplicator" or "WP Staging."

3. Password Protecting Your Site:

- You can password protect your entire site using a plugin or by modifying your .htaccess file. This method requires visitors to enter a password to access any part of your site.

- How to use: Plugins like "Password Protected" can simplify this process. Alternatively, you can add specific code to your .htaccess file to enable password protection.

4. Using a Custom Theme Function:

- For more technical users, you can add a function to your theme's `functions.php` file to redirect all non-logged-in users to a maintenance page.

- How to use: Add the following code to your `functions.php` file (or a custom plugin):

function wp_maintenance_mode() {
  if ( !is_user_logged_in() ) {
    wp_die('

Under Maintenance

We are currently performing scheduled maintenance. Please check back soon.

');
  }
}
add_action('get_header', 'wp_maintenance_mode');

5. Modifying the .htaccess File:

- You can use your .htaccess file to redirect all traffic to a maintenance page. This method is more technical and should be used with caution.

- How to use: Add the following code to your .htaccess file:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REMOTE_ADDR} !^123\.456\.789\.000$
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/maintenance\.html$
RewriteRule ^(.)$ /maintenance.html [R=503,L]

- Replace `123.456.789.000` with your IP address and create a `maintenance.html` file in your root directory.

Recommendation:

For most users, using a maintenance mode plugin is the easiest and safest way to hide your WordPress site while editing. It provides a user-friendly interface and ensures that visitors see a professional message while you work on your site.

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