WP-CLI

This document is an overview of the required information that a developer needs to have in order to use WP-CLI in any of the WordPress projects.

Overview

WP-CLI is a command line interface which allows the users to manage their WordPress websites from the command prompt. To upgrade and install plugins/themes, to generate backups, new posts can be published and most of the regular admin actions can be performed with a set of commands.

The beauty of the WP-CLI is that it gives us direct control over site. Anything that we do in WordPress admin dashboard can be done using WP-CLI instead.

Installation of WP-CLI

For the most up to date instructions, go to the official documentation.

Use Cases of WP-CLI

Manage plugins and themes
- Installing the WordPress software, themes, and/or plugins
- Activating/deactivating/updating themes and plugins
- Resolving conflicts between plugins and themes
- Creating a child theme
- Updating core WordPress via WP CLI
Quick security check for wordpress core and plugins
Usage in deployment scripts
- Search and Replace Command
Create loads of dummy content for testing
User management via WP CLI
- Creating or managing users, including changing passwords and other user information
Configuring WP-Cron to run like a real cron via WP CLI for stability
- Test WP Cron spawning system is running properly
- Run, schedule, delete, reschedule posts
Editing or optimizing your database, such as deleting post revisions
Generating test data
Add your own command
Managing comments
Custom command in WP-CLI
DB Migration
Run commands on the remote server

Creating custom commands in WP CLI

WP-CLI supports registering any callable class, function, or closure as a command. WP_CLI::add_command() is used for both internal and third-party command registration.

The synopsis of a command defines which positional and associative arguments a command accepts. Let’s take a look at the synopsis for wp plugin install:

wp plugin install <plugin|zip|url>... [--version=<version>] [--force] [--activate] [--activate-network]

In this example, <plugin|zip|url>... is the accepted positional argument. In fact, wp plugin install accepts the same positional argument (the slug, ZIP, or URL of a plugin to install) multiple times. [--version=<version>] is one of the accepted associative arguments. It’s used to denote the version of the plugin to install. Notice, too, the square brackets around the argument definition; square brackets mean the argument is optional.

WP-CLI also has a series of global arguments which work with all commands. For instance, including --debug means your command execution will display all PHP errors, and add extra verbosity to the WP-CLI bootstrap process.

Using similar approach we have created a script that installs wp, creates db, registers user, installs a plugin - activates and deactivates wp plugins via single command. Below is the script for your reference:

function setup_command() {

  // Read the JSON file
  $json = file_get_contents('axioned.json');
  $json_data = json_decode($json, true);

  $path = $json_data['path'];
  $ver = $json_data['version'];

  $dbname = $json_data['dbname'];
  $dbuser = $json_data['dbuser'];
  $dbpass = $json_data['dbpass'];
  $dbhost = $json_data['dbhost'];

  $site_url = $json_data['site_url'];
  $title = $json_data['title'];
  $admin_name = $json_data['admin_name'];
  $admin_password = $json_data['admin_password'];
  $admin_email = $json_data['admin_email'];

  $pluginListInstall = $json_data['pluginListInstall'];
  $pluginListUninstall = $json_data['pluginListUninstall'];

  $acf_key = $json_data['acf_key'];
  $axioned_theme = $json_data['axioned_theme'];

  WP_CLI::runcommand('core download --path="'.$path.'" --version='.$ver);
  WP_CLI::runcommand('core config --dbname="'.$dbname.'" --dbuser="'.$dbuser.'" --dbpass="'.$dbpass.'" --dbhost="'.$dbhost.'" --dbprefix=wp_ --path="'.$path.'"');
  WP_CLI::runcommand('db create --path="'.$path.'"');
  WP_CLI::line("WordPress installation started...");
  WP_CLI::runcommand('core install --url="'.$site_url.'" --title="'.$title.'" --admin_name="'.$admin_name.'" --admin_password="'.$admin_password.'" --admin_email="'.$admin_email.'" --path="'.$path.'"');
  WP_CLI::runcommand('core verify-checksums --version='.$ver.' --path="'.$path.'"',['exit_error' => false]);
  WP_CLI::line("Plugin installation started...");
  install($pluginListInstall, $path, $acf_key);
  uninstall($pluginListUninstall, $path);
  WP_CLI::runcommand('plugin verify-checksums --all --path="'.$path.'"', ['exit_error' => false]);
  WP_CLI::runcommand('theme install '.$axioned_theme.' --activate --path="'.$path.'"');

  WP_CLI::success('Setup Website successfully.');
}
WP_CLI::add_command('setup', 'setup_command');

function install($pluginList, $path, $acf_key) {
    $plugCount = count($pluginList);
    $progress = \WP_CLI\Utils\make_progress_bar('Creating Posts', $plugCount);
    $options = ['exit_error' => false];

    foreach ($pluginList as $plug) {
      $name = $plug["name"];
      $status = ($plug["status"] ? $plug["status"] : "");
      $ver = ($plug["version"] ? $plug["version"] : "");

      if($name == "acf-pro") {
        if (file_put_contents('acf-pro.zip', file_get_contents("https://connect.advancedcustomfields.com/index.php?t=$ver&p=pro&a=download&k=$acf_key") ) ) {
          WP_CLI::line("ACF Pro downloaded successfully.");
          WP_CLI::runcommand("plugin install ./acf-pro.zip");
          unlink("acf-pro.zip");
          WP_CLI::runcommand("plugin activate advanced-custom-fields-pro");
        } else {
          WP_CLI::line("ACF Pro downloading failed.");
        }
        continue;
      }

      $cli = "plugin install ".$name." ".($status? " --activate ":" ").($ver? "--version=".$ver : " ").' --path="'.$path.'" ';

      WP_CLI::runcommand($cli,$options);

      $progress->tick();
    }
    $progress->finish();
    WP_CLI::success($plugCount.' Plugins Installed !!!!');
}

function uninstall($pluginList, $path) {
    $plugCount = count($pluginList);
    $progress = \WP_CLI\Utils\make_progress_bar('Creating Posts', $plugCount);

    WP_CLI::line("Exicution Started.");

    foreach ($pluginList as $plug) {
      $name = $plug["name"];

      WP_CLI::runcommand("plugin deactivate ".$name.' --path="'.$path.'" ');
      WP_CLI::runcommand("plugin uninstall ".$name.' --path="'.$path.'" ');

      $progress->tick();
    }
    $progress->finish();
    WP_CLI::success($plugCount.' Plugins Uninstalled !!!!');
}

Useful commands

Install Wordpress

wp core download # Download core wp files

wp core config --dbname=wpcli_test --dbuser=phpmyadmin --dbpass=root --dbhost=localhost --dbprefix=wp_ # Create config file, change values as necessary

wp db create

wp core install --url=http://localhost/WP-Cli_Testing/wp --title="Your Blog Title" --admin_name=admin --admin_password=admin --admin_email=admin@example.com # Install WordPress and setup an admin user, please do change the password

Update WP core

wp core update --version=5.8.4 --force

Reinstall WordPress Core

wp core download --skip-content --force

Change home and site url

wp option update home 'https://example.com'
wp option update siteurl 'https://example.com'

Working with plugins

List all plugins

wp plugin list

Install or uninstall a plugin

wp plugin install all-in-one-wp-migration
wp plugin delete all-in-one-wp-migration

Activate or deactivate a plugin

wp plugin activate hello
wp plugin deactivate hello
wp plugin install all-in-one-wp-migration # Install and activate in a single command

Install specific version

wp plugin install all-in-one-wp-migration --version=7.60

3. Db Migration import, export and search replace

wp db import [<file name>]
wp db export
wp search-replace http://example.com http://newexample.com

User Management

Fetching users

wp user list
wp user get admin

Create or delete user user

wp user create ndg ndg@xyz.com --role=editor --first_name=alfa --last_name=beta --user_pass=admin
wp user delete ndg

Manage user capabilities

wp user list-caps ndg
wp user add-cap ndg edit_plugins
wp user remove-cap ndg edit_plugins

Manage user role

wp user add-role ndg administrator
wp user remove-role ndg administrator

Security check

Core files security checks:

wp core verify-checksums --version=$(wp core version)

Plugins security check:

wp plugin verify-checksums --all