The document provides a comprehensive guide on using WP-CLI, a command-line tool for managing WordPress installations. It covers installation methods, basic commands for installing and managing WordPress, plugins, themes, and maintenance tasks such as backups and updates. Additionally, it describes how to create custom commands and automate various processes in WordPress management.

1. A better WordPress
workflow with WP-CLI
By Rikesh Ramlochund

2. WP-CLI
› WP-CLI is a set of command-line tools for managing
WordPress installations
› Install a WordPress website
› Update WordPress core, plugins, and themes
› Automate repetitive tasks
› Make your own commands
› ssh on your server and run the commands

3. WP-CLI Installation
› Installation and upgrade: https://wp-cli.org/
› Download the wp-cli.phar file
curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/
wp-cli/builds/gh-pages/phar/wp-cli.phar
› Check if the file works
php wp-cli.phar —-info

4. WP-CLI Installation
› To be able to type just wp, instead of php wp-cli.phar, you
need to make the file executable and move it to
somewhere in your PATH.
› chmod +x wp-cli.phar
› sudo mv wp-cli.phar /usr/local/bin/wp
› wp —-info

5. WP-CLI Installation
› WP-CLI can also be installed via Composer or Homebrew
› Debian and Ubuntu users can install WP-CLI via a .deb
package
› WP-CLI can also be installed on Windows
› Read more about WP-CLI Installation: https://wp-cli.org/
docs/installing/

6. WP-CLI Command Anatomy
› wp plugin install jetpack
› wp: All WP-CLI commands start with wp
› plugin: command
› install: subcommand
› jetpack: options/parameters (here it is a plugin name)

7. Node.js Wrapper
› npm install wp-cli
Node wrapper for Wordpress CLI with functionality
matching the WP-CLI API.
Learn more: https://www.npmjs.com/package/wp-cli

8. Installing WordPress using WP-CLI
› Download the WordPress core:
wp core download
or
wp core download —-locale=fr_FR

9. Installing WordPress using WP-CLI
› Generate the wp-config.php file
wp core config --dbname=devconwp
--dbuser=devcon --dbpass=somePassword
› Create the database file (dbname value from command
above)
wp db create

10. Installing WordPress using WP-CLI
› Run the WordPress installation process
wp core install —-prompt
› Installation done :)
› Note: ——prompt is a global parameter of WP-CLI, and it
prompts the user to enter values for all command
arguments

11. Installing WordPress using WP-CLI
› Recap:
› wp core download
› wp core config --dbname=devconwp
--dbuser=devcon —-dbpass=somePassword
› wp db create
› wp core install —-prompt

12. WordPress Core commands
› Check for update via Version Check API
wp core check-update
› Update WordPress
wp core update and wp core update-db
› Verify WordPress files against wordpress.org checksums
wp core verify-checksums
› Display the WordPress version
wp core version

13. Plugin Management
› List all plugins
wp plugin list
› List plugins with pending updates
wp plugin list —-update=available
› Plugin Installation
wp plugin install advanced-custom-fields
wp plugin install jetpack —-version=“3.6”
wp plugin install my-plugin.zip

14. Plugin Management
› Install premium plugins via zip file.
› Advanced Custom Fields Pro allows you to download a zip
file using your private key
› wget -v -O acf-pro.zip “http://
connect.advancedcustomfields.com/index.php?
p=pro&a=download&k=YOUR_ACF_PRO_KEY”
› wp plugin install acf-pro.zip --activate
› rm acf-pro.zip

15. Plugin Management
› Some plugins like Jetpack also implement WP-CLI
commands.
› For example:
wp jetpack status
wp jetpack module list
wp jetpack module activate carousel

16. Plugin Management
› Activate a plugin
wp plugin activate jetpack
› Deactivate a plugin
wp plugin deactivate jetpack
› Update all plugins
wp plugin update --all

17. WordPress Maintenance
› Keeping WordPress up to date
› wp core update
› wp core update-db
› wp plugins update --all
› wp theme update --all
› Don’t forget to backup your files before doing updates!

18. WordPress Backups
› Export WordPress database via WP-CLI
wp db export
› Compress the WordPress directory
tar -vczf backup.gz .

19. Database Migration
› Moving a WordPress installation to another server (eg.
staging to production)
› Step 1: Export staging database
wp db export
› Step 2: Move database to production and import
wp db import
› Step 3: Update URLs from staging to production
wp search-replace “http://
staging.example.com” “http://example.com”

20. Managing Options
› Read option value
wp option get blogname
› Update option value
wp option update blogname “Awesome WP”
› Delete option
wp option delete optional
› List options
wp option list

21. Useful Commands
› Regenerate thumbnails
wp media regenerate
› Generate x posts, using some Lorem Ipsum text
curl http://loripsum.net/api/5 | wp post
generate --post_content --count=x
› Run a query saved in a file
wp db query < debug.sql
› Command helper
wp help plugin install

22. Useful Commands
› Import WXR file
wp import posts.xml
› Bulk importing images as attachments
Import all JPGs from the user’s Pictures directory
wp media import ~/Pictures/**/*.jpg
› Import a specific image and assign it as post thumbnail for
that post
wp media import ~/Downloads/image.png --
post_id=123 --title="A downloaded picture"
--featured_image

23. Useful Commands
› Delete all transients
wp transient delete-all
› Delete all expired transients
wp transient delete-expired
› List registered post types
wp post-type list

24. Useful Commands
› Update user password
wp user update 1 —-user_pass=newpass
› List all posts
wp post list
› List all users
wp user list

25. Scaffolding
› _s Theme scaffolding
wp scaffold _s devconmru --theme_name="The
Devconmru Theme" —-author=“Devconmru”
—-sassify
› New post type
wp scaffold post-type books —-theme
› Create a child theme
wp scaffold child-theme devconmru-child --
parent_theme=devconmru —-theme_name=‘Child
Theme'

26. WP-CLI Internal API
› Extend WP-CLI with new command
WP_CLI::add_command()
› Execute callbacks for a specific hook
WP_CLI::do_hook()
› Displaying messages
WP_CLI::line()
WP_CLI::success()
WP_CLI::error() //script exited after this one

27. Custom WP-CLI Commands
› Extend WP-CLI with your own commands
› No performance issues since the code is only loaded
when accessed through WP-CLI
if ( defined('WP_CLI') && WP_CLI ) {
require __DIR__ . '/wp-cli-command.php';
}

28. Custom WP-CLI Commands
›
function post_count_callback(){
//Write code here
}
WP_CLI::add_command('post-count',
'post_count_callback');
› New command available!
wp post-count
Demo code: https://github.com/rrikesh/wp-cli-
post-count

29. Thank you!
› Questions?
› If you have any questions after the presentation:
Tweet me at @rrikesh
Mail me on r@paperboat.io