Example site alias file

example.aliases.drushrc.php

<?php

// VARIABLES

  // Where all of your local sites are located.
  // [I'm using MAMP.]
  $local_sites = '/Applications/MAMP/htdocs/';
  
  // Where all of your remote sites are located.
  // [This is usually where you land when you first SSH in.]
  $remote_sites = '/home/example/';
  
  // Where the specific Live website is.
  // [This is usually a folder within public_html.]
  $live_site = '/home/example/public_html/example.com/';
  
  // Where the specific Almost website is.
  // [This is usually a folder within public_html.]
  $almost_site = '/home/example/public_html/almost.example.com/';
  
  
  // SITE ALIAS: LOCAL (@example.local)
  $aliases['local'] = array(

    // Where you go in your browser to visit the site.
    'uri' => 'example.dev',

    // Where the local Drupal site is located.
    // [/Applications/MAMP/htdocs/example]
    'root' => $local_sites . 'example',

    // Other aliases in the path (via @example.local:%...)
    'path-aliases' => array(

      // Where Drupal should dump the database.
      // [Used with sql-dump.]
      '%dump-dir' => $local_sites . 'drush-dumps',

      // Where Drupal's public files are located.
      // [@example.local:%files]
      '%files' => $local_sites . 'example/sites/default/files'

    )

  );


  // SITE ALIAS: LIVE (@example.live)
  // [This may be called Remote, Prod, or something else.]
  $aliases['live'] = array (

    // Where you go in your browser to visit the site.
    'uri' => 'example.com',

    // Where the live Drupal site is located on the server.
    // [/home/example/public_html/example.com]
    'root' => $live_site,

    // The host you use to SSH to the server.
    'remote-host' => 'example.com',

    // The user you use to SSH to the server.
    // [If you set this in .ssh/config, you don't need this.]
    'remote-user' => 'example',
    
    // Define a port or other SSH options.
    // [If you set this in .ssh/config, you don't need this.]
    'ssh-options' => "-p 22",

    // Other aliases in the path (via @example.live:%...)
    'path-aliases' => array(

      // Where Drupal should dump the database.
      // [Used with sql-dump.]
      '%dump-dir' => $remote_sites . 'drush-dumps',

      // If Drupal uses the private file strucutre, say where that is.
      // [@example.live:%privatefiles]
      '%privatefiles' => $remote_sites . 'privatefiles/live',

      // Where Drupal's public files are located.
      // [@example.live:%files]
      '%files' => $live_site . 'sites/default/files',

    )

  );


  // SITE ALIAS: ALMOST (@example.almost)
  // [This may be called Almost, Dev, Staging, or anything.]
  $aliases['almost'] = array (

    // Where you go in your browser to visit the site.
    'uri' => 'almost.example.com',

    // Where the live Drupal site is located on the server.
    // [/home/example/public_html/almost.example.com]
    'root' => $almost_site,
    
    // Rather than redefine the SSH settings, set the parent alias.
    'parent' => '@example.live',

    // Other aliases in the path (via @example.almost:%...)
    'path-aliases' => array(

      // Where Drupal should dump the database.
      // [Used with sql-dump.]
      '%dump-dir' => $remote_sites . 'drush-dumps',

      // If Drupal uses the private file strucutre, say where that is.
      // [@example.almost:%privatefiles]
      '%privatefiles' => $remote_sites . 'privatefiles/almost',

      // Where Drupal's public files are located.
      // [@example.almost:%files]
      '%files' => $almost_site . 'sites/default/files',

    )

  );

?>