# Wp CLI > Run WP-CLI commands to manage WordPress installations. Use when the user wants to manage WordPress via the command line, run wp commands, manage plugins, themes, users, databases, options, cron, rewrite rules, or perform any WordPress administration task using WP-CLI. Triggers include requests like 'run wp-cli', 'manage WordPress', 'install a plugin', 'update WordPress', 'create a user', 'search-replace in the database', 'export the database', or any WP-CLI task. - Skill: `adamsilverstein/wp-cli` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add adamsilverstein/wp-cli` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/adamsilverstein/wp-cli/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Productivity - Author: adamsilverstein (https://skillmd.com/u/adamsilverstein) - Updated: 2026-09-10 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/adamsilverstein/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=` - `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 ```bash 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 ```bash wp plugin list [--status=active] [--update=available] wp plugin install --activate wp plugin activate wp plugin deactivate wp plugin update --all wp plugin verify-checksums --all wp theme list wp theme install --activate wp theme update --all ``` ## Users ```bash wp user list [--role=administrator] wp user create --role= --prompt=user_pass wp user update --role=editor --display_name="Name" wp user update --prompt=user_pass wp user delete --reassign= ``` ## Database ```bash 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 ```bash wp option get wp option update wp option delete 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 ```bash wp cron event list wp cron event run --due-now wp cron event run wp cron test ``` ## Posts & Media ```bash wp post list --post_type=post --post_status=publish wp post create --post_title='Title' --post_content='Body' --post_status=publish wp post delete --force wp post generate --count=10 wp media regenerate # add --yes only after confirming; it rewrites every thumbnail wp media import ``` ## Maintenance & Troubleshooting ```bash 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 wp config list ``` ## Multisite ```bash wp site list wp site create --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=` 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=` to trim columns ## Common Workflows ```bash # 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 # Restore the original set: xargs wp plugin activate < active-plugins.txt ```