Easy remote deployment (localhost -> domain)

[centraltheory]

Hello,

 

I'm doing most of my configuration of Prestashop on my local machine (WAMP).  I have a hosted version of prestashop running on my domain.  I was wondering what the most efficient way to synchronize my localhost copy to my domain.  

 

Some of the guides I've seen recommend FTP'ing all the local files to the remote system and doing a DB restore.  This is pretty inefficient every time I want to do an update (20,000 files).  I assume that 99% of the files don't change.  

 

Do modules write all their configuration to the DB?  If so, could I do an initial push of all the files and then in the future just do a db restore and image upload?  I actually don't want to do a DB restore because that will destroy all the order and customer history I have on the running store.

 

I have to assume this synchronization challenge is pretty common.  

 

Any help is much appreciated!