wp-cli

WP-CLI Skill

Manage WordPress installations using WP-CLI: core, plugins, themes, users, database, options, cron, and more.

Prerequisites

• wp installed and on PATH; run from the WordPress root or pass --path=<path>
• wp doctor needs the separate wp-cli/doctor-command package: wp package install wp-cli/doctor-command:@stable Composer resolves @stable against the installed WP-CLI. If it reports a version conflict, check wp --version and pin an exact release that supports it instead
• wp maintenance-mode is bundled with WP-CLI (no extra package needed)

Core

wp --version
wp core version
wp core is-installed
wp core check-update
wp core update && wp core update-db      # add --network to update-db on multisite
wp core verify-checksums

# Install fresh. --prompt keeps secrets out of shell history, but it reads from stdin
# and blocks forever without a terminal
wp core download
wp config create --dbname=wordpress --dbuser=root --dbhost=localhost --prompt=dbpass
wp core install --url=example.com --title="Site" --admin_user=admin --admin_email=admin@example.com --prompt=admin_password

# Non-interactive equivalent (scripts, agents, CI): read the secret from the
# environment so the value itself never reaches the command line or history
wp config create --dbname=wordpress --dbuser=root --dbhost=localhost --dbpass="$WP_DB_PASS"
wp core install --url=example.com --title="Site" --admin_user=admin --admin_email=admin@example.com --admin_password="$WP_ADMIN_PASS"

Plugins & Themes

wp plugin list [--status=active] [--update=available]
wp plugin install <slug> --activate
wp plugin activate <name>
wp plugin deactivate <name>
wp plugin update --all
wp plugin verify-checksums --all

wp theme list
wp theme install <slug> --activate
wp theme update --all

Users

wp user list [--role=administrator]
wp user create <username> <email> --role=<role> --prompt=user_pass
wp user update <id> --role=editor --display_name="Name"
wp user update <id> --prompt=user_pass
wp user delete <id> --reassign=<other-id>

Database

wp db export backup.sql
wp db import backup.sql
wp option get siteurl                    # prefix-agnostic; prefer over raw SQL
wp db query "SELECT option_value FROM $(wp config get table_prefix)options WHERE option_name='siteurl';"
wp db optimize
wp db repair

# Always --dry-run first, with the exact flags the real run will use
wp search-replace 'old' 'new' --precise --recurse-objects --all-tables-with-prefix --dry-run
wp search-replace 'old' 'new' --precise --recurse-objects --all-tables-with-prefix

Options, Cache, Rewrites

wp option get <name>
wp option update <name> <value>
wp option delete <name>
wp option list --search="*cache*"
wp cache flush
wp transient delete --all        # database transients only; with an external object
                                 # cache you need `wp cache flush` too, and --network
                                 # for network transients on multisite
wp rewrite flush
wp rewrite structure '/%postname%/'

Cron

wp cron event list
wp cron event run --due-now
wp cron event run <hook-name>
wp cron test

Posts & Media

wp post list --post_type=post --post_status=publish
wp post create --post_title='Title' --post_content='Body' --post_status=publish
wp post delete <id> --force
wp post generate --count=10

wp media regenerate            # add --yes only after confirming; it rewrites every thumbnail
wp media import <url-or-path>

Maintenance & Troubleshooting

wp maintenance-mode activate
wp maintenance-mode deactivate
wp maintenance-mode status
wp doctor check --all            # requires wp-cli/doctor-command package
wp shell
wp eval 'echo PHP_VERSION;'
wp config get <name>
wp config list

Multisite

wp site list
wp site create --slug=<slug> --title="Title"
wp site list --field=url | xargs -I {} wp option get blogname --url={}

# Network-wide operations need --network; without it they only touch the main site
wp core update-db --network
wp transient delete --all --network
wp plugin list --status=active,active-network

Rules

• Always --dry-run search-replace first, and wp db export before destructive changes
• The dry run must carry the same flags as the real run — a preview with a different table scope does not describe what the real run will modify
• Prefer --all-tables-with-prefix over --all-tables: the latter rewrites every table in the database, including tables owned by other apps sharing it. Use it only deliberately
• Keep passwords and secrets off the command line: --prompt=<arg> when a terminal is attached, or an environment variable (--dbpass="$WP_DB_PASS") when running non-interactively - --prompt blocks on stdin and will hang a script or agent
• Confirm destructive actions (--yes, delete --force, plugin deactivate --all) with the user first
• --format=json for machine output, --fields=<cols> to trim columns

Common Workflows

# Domain migration
wp db export pre-migration.sql
wp search-replace 'https://old.com' 'https://new.com' --precise --recurse-objects --all-tables-with-prefix --dry-run
wp search-replace 'https://old.com' 'https://new.com' --precise --recurse-objects --all-tables-with-prefix
# search-replace only rewrites the database. WP_HOME/WP_SITEURL in wp-config.php override
# the rewritten options, so the old domain keeps serving - check `wp config list` first
wp config set WP_HOME 'https://new.com'
wp config set WP_SITEURL 'https://new.com'
wp cache flush && wp rewrite flush

# Update everything
wp core update && wp core update-db      # --network on multisite, or subsites keep the old schema
wp plugin update --all
wp theme update --all
wp cache flush

# Bisect a broken site
wp core verify-checksums
wp plugin list --status=active --field=name > active-plugins.txt   # capture first, so state is restorable
wp plugin deactivate --all
# Re-activate one by one from active-plugins.txt to find the culprit
wp plugin activate <name>
# Restore the original set: xargs wp plugin activate < active-plugins.txt