Managing WordPress with WP-CLI (with examples)

WP-CLI is the official command-line interface for managing WordPress instances. It provides a wide range of tools, enabling tasks such as updating installations, managing plugins, configuring files, and much more. Using WP-CLI can significantly improve efficiency and streamline WordPress management by allowing complex tasks to be executed with just a few command lines.

Use case 1: Print system and WP-CLI information

Code:

wp --info

Motivation:

When managing WordPress installations, especially on multiple servers, it is crucial to know the current setup details. With the wp --info command, you can quickly retrieve the operating system, shell information, PHP details, and the WP-CLI version. This comprehensive overview helps ensure compatibility and enables debugging in environments where WordPress might behave unexpectedly due to version-specific issues.

Explanation:

• wp: Calls the WP-CLI interface.
• --info: Instructs WP-CLI to display information about the environment it’s running in, including PHP version, operating system, and more.

Example output:

OS:     Linux 4.15.0-45-generic #48-Ubuntu SMP Tue Jan 29 18:00:15 UTC 2019 x86_64
Shell:  /bin/bash
PHP binary:     /usr/bin/php7.4
PHP version:    7.4
php.ini used:   /etc/php/7.4/cli/php.ini
WP-CLI root dir:        phar://wp-cli.phar/vendor/wp-cli/wp-cli
WP-CLI vendor dir:      phar://wp-cli.phar/vendor
WP-CLI version: 2.5.0

Use case 2: Update WP-CLI

Code:

wp cli update

Motivation:

Keeping tools up-to-date is essential for security and efficiency. As WP-CLI continues to evolve, new features are added, bugs are fixed, and vulnerabilities are patched. Running the wp cli update command ensures that you have the latest and most secure version of WP-CLI, allowing you to take advantage of new improvements.

Explanation:

• wp: Calls the WP-CLI.
• cli: Specifies the module related to the command-line interface itself.
• update: Tells WP-CLI to check for any updates and apply them if available.

Example output:

You have version 2.4.0. Would you like to update to 2.5.0? [y/n] y
Downloading from https://github.com/wp-cli/wp-cli/releases/download/v2.5.0/wp-cli-2.5.0.phar...
Updating to version 2.5.0...
WP-CLI successfully updated.

Use case 3: Download a fresh WordPress installation

Code:

wp core download --locale=locale

Motivation:

When setting up a new WordPress site, it’s beneficial to have the latest installation files directly at your fingertips. The wp core download command simplifies this by ensuring you retrieve the core WordPress files quickly. Additionally, specifying a locale allows you to install WordPress in the desired language, which is particularly useful for multilingual sites or when setting up sites targeting different regions.

Explanation:

• wp: Calls the WP-CLI.
• core: Refers to WordPress’s core functionalities.
• download: Downloads the latest version of WordPress.
• --locale=locale: Optional parameter to download WordPress in a specific language by replacing locale with the desired language code such as en_US for American English or fr_FR for French.

Example output:

Downloading WordPress 5.8 (en_US)...
Success: WordPress downloaded.

Use case 4: Create basic wp-config.php file

Code:

wp config create --dbname=dbname --dbuser=dbuser --dbpass=dbpass

Motivation:

The wp-config.php file is crucial for running WordPress as it connects WordPress to your database and sets security keys. Automatically generating this configuration file with wp config create saves time and avoids manual errors, streamlining your setup process, especially for those creating multiple WordPress installations.

Explanation:

• wp: Calls the WP-CLI.
• config: Accesses the configuration module.
• create: Instructs WP-CLI to generate a new wp-config.php file.
• --dbname=dbname: Specifies the database name that WordPress will use. Replace dbname with your actual database name.
• --dbuser=dbuser: Sets the database username that WordPress will authenticate with.
• --dbpass=dbpass: Sets the password for the database user.

Example output:

Success: Generated 'wp-config.php' file.

Use case 5: Install and activate a WordPress plugin

Code:

wp plugin install plugin --activate

Motivation:

Plugins extend the functionality of WordPress websites. Installing and activating plugins through the command line is efficient and convenient, especially for administrators managing multiple sites. The wp plugin install command streamlines this process, reducing the time it takes to enhance site functionality significantly.

Explanation:

• wp: Calls the WP-CLI.
• plugin: Specifies that the following command relates to plugins.
• install: Downloads and installs the specified plugin.
• plugin: Placeholder that should be replaced with the actual name or slug of the plugin you wish to install.
• --activate: Automatically activates the plugin upon installation.

Example output:

Installing Hello Dolly (1.7.2)
Downloading installation package from https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/hello-dolly.1.7.2.zip...
Unpacking the package...
Installing the plugin...
Plugin installed successfully.
Activating 'hello-dolly'...
Success: Plugin 'hello-dolly' activated.

Use case 6: Replace all instances of a string in the database

Code:

wp search-replace old_string new_string

Motivation:

As websites evolve, there’s often a need to update content site-wide. For instance, if a company changes its name or branding, you might need to replace all instances of an old string with a new one. The wp search-replace command makes this task trivial by allowing bulk replacements across the WordPress database without tedious manual updating.

Explanation:

• wp: Calls the WP-CLI.
• search-replace: Command to search and replace strings.
• old_string: The string you wish to find in the database.
• new_string: The replacement string you want to use instead of the old string.

Example output:

+---------+--------------+--------------+------+
| Table   | Column       | Replacements | Type |
+---------+--------------+--------------+------+
| wp_post | post_content | 10           | PHP  |
| wp_post | post_title   | 2            | PHP  |
+---------+--------------+--------------+------+

Use case 7: Import contents from a WXR file

Code:

wp import path/to/file.xml

Motivation:

When migrating a site or populating it with initial content, importing pre-existing content is essential. WordPress Extended RSS (WXR) files allow this, and with WP-CLI, you can import these files directly from the command line. This feature is particularly useful for developers managing content across multiple environments.

Explanation:

• wp: Calls the WP-CLI.
• import: Command for importing content.
• path/to/file.xml: The file path to the WXR file you want to import. Replace the placeholder with the actual file location.

Example output:

Starting the import process...please be patient.
Success: Imported content from 'path/to/file.xml'.

Conclusion:

Using WP-CLI for managing WordPress instances provides a level of automation and efficiency that can significantly optimize website management processes. With just a few commands, complex tasks such as installations, updates, and data migrations can be handled swiftly, allowing site administrators and developers more time to focus on strategic tasks rather than manual maintenance.