WP-CLI is WordPress’s official command-line interface. It lets you administer a site from a shell, repeat the same operation across installations, and put routine work into scripts, cron jobs, or deployment pipelines. The essential commands cover core updates, plugins, themes, users, content, backups, migrations, scheduled tasks, caches, and multisite administration.
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The safest way to use WP-CLI is to treat every command as a targeted operation: identify the installation, confirm the user and scope, read the command’s help, back up before changing data, and use a dry run whenever one is available.
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What WP-CLI does and why targeting matters
WP-CLI commands execute against a particular WordPress installation. A shell prompt alone does not tell you which site a command will modify, so make the target explicit whenever there is any possibility of ambiguity.
--pathpoints WP-CLI at a specific WordPress directory.--urlselects a site, which is especially important in a multisite installation.--usersupplies the WordPress user context for commands that need one.--sshruns a command on a remote server when SSH is configured.--aliaslets a configured alias represent a site or group of sites.
Other global parameters include --http, --skip-plugins, --skip-themes, --require, --exec, --debug, and --prompt. Use skip flags when a broken extension prevents WordPress from loading, and use --debug when you need diagnostic output.
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Verify the runtime and installation
Start with environment and version checks:
wp --info
wp --path=/var/www/html core version
wp --url=https://example.com site info
wp [email protected]/var/www/html plugin listwp --info shows the WP-CLI runtime and environment. core version confirms which WordPress release is installed at the supplied path. In a network, site info confirms the site selected by the URL. The SSH form avoids accidentally running a local command against the wrong server.
Read command-specific help
WP-CLI’s built-in help is the fastest way to confirm syntax, available flags, and examples for the installed version:
wp help <command>
wp help plugin update
wp help search-replaceRead the help immediately before unfamiliar or destructive work. Flags and subcommands can vary by WP-CLI and WordPress version.
A safe operating sequence for changes
Use this sequence for updates, imports, replacements, and other mutating operations:
- Confirm the target. Specify
--path,--url, an alias, or--ssh; add--userwhen the command depends on a WordPress account. - Inspect the environment. Run
wp --info, checkwp core version, and use read-only list or status commands to understand the current state. - Read the help. Run
wp help <command>and note scope flags such as--network, table selectors, and dry-run options. - Create a database backup. For example,
wp db export backup-$(date +%F).sql. Store the dump where it will not be overwritten by the operation. - Preview where possible. Prefer
--dry-run, especially for search-and-replace operations. - Keep the scope narrow. Name a plugin slug, user ID, site URL, or table set instead of starting with a network-wide or all-tables flag.
- Test in staging first. If staging is available, perform the change there, check the site and logs, then schedule production work.
- Protect credentials. Do not put passwords, API keys, or database secrets in shell history or committed scripts. Use interactive prompts, controlled environment variables, or a secret manager.
- Keep a recovery path. Retain the SQL dump, know how to run
wp db import, and record the exact command used.
Core WordPress commands
The wp core command family handles version checks, upgrades, database migrations, and file integrity checks.
| Command | Purpose | Effect |
|---|---|---|
wp core version |
Display the installed WordPress version. | Read-only |
wp core check-update |
Check whether a core update is available. | Read-only |
wp core update |
Download and install a WordPress core update. | Mutating |
wp core update-db |
Run pending database updates after a core change. | Mutating |
wp core verify-checksums |
Compare core files with official checksums when supported for the installed release. | Read-only |
A conservative update sequence is:
wp --path=/var/www/html core check-update
wp --path=/var/www/html db export backup-$(date +%F).sql
wp --path=/var/www/html core update
wp --path=/var/www/html core update-db
wp --path=/var/www/html core verify-checksumsRun the database step when the update reports pending migrations. Checksum verification is useful for detecting unexpected changes to WordPress core files, but it does not audit plugin or theme files.
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Plugin administration
List and inspect installed plugins
wp plugin listThe list includes installed plugins and their status, allowing you to identify active, inactive, or unexpectedly installed extensions before an update or troubleshooting session.
Install and activate a plugin
wp plugin install <slug> --activateThis installs a plugin from the WordPress repository when the slug is valid and activates it immediately. Confirm the plugin’s compatibility and licensing requirements before activating it on production.
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Update plugins deliberately
wp plugin update --allUpdating every installed plugin is convenient but broad. Review wp plugin list first, make a backup, and have a rollback plan. For a controlled update, use the specific plugin slug rather than --all and update one extension at a time while monitoring the site.
Deactivate a plugin during troubleshooting
wp plugin deactivate <slug>Deactivation is reversible and leaves the plugin files in place. It is a useful first isolation step for a fatal error, broken editor, or unexpected front-end behavior. If WordPress cannot load the plugin, add --skip-plugins to the command that must bootstrap the site.
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wp theme list
wp theme install <slug> --activate
wp theme update --allwp theme list shows installed themes and which one is active. Installing with --activate changes the active theme, so use it only when the replacement has been tested. The all-themes update command has the same compatibility and rollback considerations as a bulk plugin update. A child theme or custom theme should be included in your staging test because its templates and hooks can depend on a particular parent or core version.
Users, roles, and site settings
List and create users
wp user list
wp user create alice [email protected] --role=editorThe create command assigns the selected role. Do not place a real password directly in a command line: shell history and process listings can expose it. Use a secure password workflow supported by your environment, then deliver credentials through an approved channel.
Change a user’s role
wp user update <id> --role=administratorChanging a role affects what the account can do across the site. Restrict this operation to an authorized administrator, verify the numeric user ID first, and avoid granting administrator privileges merely to solve a temporary task.
Inspect roles and network administrators
wp role list
wp super-admin add <login>wp role list displays roles available on the site. In multisite, wp super-admin add grants network-level authority to the specified login, which is substantially broader than a site administrator role. Use it only for a documented network administration need.
Read and update options
wp option get siteurl
wp option update blogname "New title"Use wp option get to inspect a setting and wp option update to change it. Option changes can affect URLs, branding, integrations, and serialized values, so export the database before changing critical settings and verify the result in the browser.
Posts, menus, taxonomies, and media
Inspect posts in a script-friendly format
wp post list --post_type=post --fields=ID,post_title,post_statusLimiting the fields produces compact output that is easier to review or pipe into another shell command. Add a status or date filter when you need to audit only a subset.
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Change a post’s status
wp post update <id> --post_status=publishPublishing is an immediate content change. Verify the post ID, editorial approval, author, and scheduled timing before running it against production.
Regenerate image sizes
wp media regenerateRun this after changing registered image sizes so existing uploads receive the new derivatives. It can process many files and consume CPU and storage; schedule it during a quiet period and watch for disk-space or timeout problems.
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Inspect navigation and taxonomies
wp menu list
wp taxonomy listThese read-only commands help inventory navigation menus and taxonomies before a redesign, migration, or content cleanup.
Database backups, imports, and SQL
Export before destructive work
wp db export backup.sqlThe export creates a SQL dump of the WordPress database. Use a dated filename such as backup-$(date +%F).sql, confirm that the command completed, and place the dump in protected storage. A database export does not include uploaded media or other files, so pair it with a file-level backup when the operation can alter the filesystem.
Restore or transfer a database
wp db import backup.sqlImporting replaces or merges database content according to the dump and the database state. Confirm the target path, database credentials, table prefix, and maintenance plan first. On a staging copy, verify URLs, users, plugins, and content before treating the import as successful.
Use direct SQL only when needed
wp db query 'SELECT ...'Direct SQL is powerful but bypasses the guardrails and abstractions of command-specific operations. Use it for a clearly understood query, take a backup first when data may change, and test the statement on staging. Prefer a read-only SELECT while investigating.
Safe domain and data replacement with wp search-replace
wp search-replace is designed for migrations and understands PHP serialized data, which is important because a raw text replacement can corrupt serialized option or metadata values. It does not change primary-key values and skips tables without a primary key.
Preview a domain migration
wp search-replace 'https://staging.example.com' 'https://example.com' --all-tables --dry-runReview the dry-run counts and table scope before applying anything. Confirm that the old and new schemes, hostnames, and trailing-slash conventions match the migration you actually intend.
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Apply the replacement
wp search-replace 'old' 'new' --all-tablesRun the live command only after exporting the database and checking the preview. Broad strings can alter unrelated data, so use precise old and new values and limit the table set when possible.
Multisite scope
In multisite, the command targets the current site by default. Add --network only when a network-wide replacement is intended:
wp search-replace 'old' 'new' --all-tables --networkUse wp --url=https://example.com to select a site for a site-specific operation, and enumerate the network with wp site list before planning a multi-site migration.
Scheduled tasks, caches, and maintenance
Inspect and run cron events
wp cron event list
wp cron event run --due-nowThe list command shows scheduled events and their timing. Running due events is useful for diagnosing a queue that is not being processed, but it may trigger emails, imports, publishing actions, or other jobs immediately. Run it with the same care as a production deployment.
Clear transients and object cache
wp transient delete --all
wp cache flushDeleting all transients removes temporary option values and can force plugins to rebuild cached data. Flushing the object cache clears in-memory or persistent cache entries when the configured backend supports it. These commands can increase database or application load immediately afterward, so use them during a controlled maintenance window.
Control maintenance mode
wp maintenance-mode activate
wp maintenance-mode deactivateActivate maintenance mode before planned work that could leave visitors seeing an inconsistent state, then deactivate it as soon as validation is complete. If a failed deployment leaves the site stuck in maintenance mode, the deactivate command is a direct recovery step.
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| Task | Primary command | Typical scope | Risk profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check versions or inventory | core version, plugin list, theme list, site list |
One installation or selected network | Read-only |
| Update software | core update, plugin update, theme update |
Core, named extension, or all installed extensions | Filesystem and compatibility risk |
| Change accounts | user create, user update, super-admin add |
One user or the whole network | Permission and security risk |
| Change content | post update, media regenerate |
Named post or media library | Editorial and resource risk |
| Migrate data | db export, db import, search-replace |
Database, selected tables, current site, or network | High database risk; back up first |
| Repair operations | cron, transient, cache, rewrite, maintenance-mode |
Scheduled jobs, caches, rewrites, or visitor access | Operational side effects |
The key decisions are target scope, reversibility, affected data, automation value, and required access. Read-only commands are safest for discovery; dry runs provide a preview; mutating commands require a tested recovery plan.
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Automation patterns that remain safe
WP-CLI becomes especially valuable when a repeatable sequence is written as a reviewed shell script or deployment step. Keep each operation explicit rather than hiding broad flags behind a generic wrapper. A maintenance script might:
- Set a fixed WordPress path and, for multisite, a fixed URL.
- Check the core version and list active plugins.
- Export a dated database backup.
- Activate maintenance mode.
- Run the narrowly scoped update or migration.
- Flush rewrites or caches only if the change requires it.
- Run a smoke check, inspect logs, and deactivate maintenance mode.
Use exit codes and logging so an interrupted command stops the sequence instead of continuing into a partially updated site. Keep scripts out of public web directories, restrict their permissions, and review any variable that can alter a path, URL, table list, or user ID.
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“Error: This does not seem to be a WordPress installation.”
The path is wrong or points above or below the WordPress root. Locate the directory containing wp-config.php and rerun the command with --path=/correct/path.
A plugin prevents bootstrap
Use --skip-plugins for the recovery command, list the plugins, and deactivate the suspected slug. Do not leave the site in a permanently skipped state; fix or remove the incompatible extension and then test normal loading.
The command modified the wrong site
Stop further changes, record the exact command, and restore from the verified SQL export if necessary. For future runs, require an explicit --path, --url, alias, or SSH target in scripts rather than relying on the shell’s current directory.
A migration produces broken URLs
Check the dry-run output, URL scheme, hostname, and table scope. Restore the pre-migration dump if the replacement was incorrect, correct the values, and rerun the operation with a narrower scope. Serialized data should be handled by wp search-replace, not an unstructured text editor.
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Large plugin updates, media regeneration, imports, and network-wide replacements can be resource-intensive. Run them from SSH, split the work into smaller scopes, schedule it during low traffic, and monitor memory, CPU, disk space, database locks, and PHP or web-server logs.
Essential command checklist
wp --infoandwp help <command>for orientation.wp core version,core check-update,core update,core update-db, andcore verify-checksumsfor WordPress itself.wp plugin list,plugin install,plugin update, andplugin deactivatefor extensions.wp theme list,theme install, andtheme updatefor themes.wp user list,user create,user update,role list, andsuper-admin addfor accounts.wp option get,option update,post list,post update,media regenerate,menu list, andtaxonomy listfor administration.wp db export,db import,db query, and carefully scopedsearch-replacefor database work.wp cron,transient delete,cache flush,maintenance-mode,rewrite flush, andsite listfor operations and multisite.
These commands cover the high-value work most administrators perform in wp-admin, while making the same work auditable and repeatable from a terminal. Target deliberately, back up before mutation, preview broad operations, and keep a tested restore path before automating production changes.
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