WP-CLI and WordPress Operations

When to use

Use this skill when the task involves WordPress operational work via WP-CLI, including:

• wp search-replace (URL changes, domain migrations, protocol switch)
• DB export/import, resets, and inspections (wp db *)
• plugin/theme install/activate/update, language packs
• cron event listing/running
• cache/rewrite flushing
• multisite operations (wp site *, --url, --network)
• building repeatable scripts (wp-cli.yml, shell scripts, CI jobs)

Inputs required

• Where WP-CLI will run (local dev, staging, production) and whether it’s safe to run.
• How to target the correct site root:
  • --path=<wordpress-root> and (multisite) --url=<site-url>
• Whether this is multisite and whether commands should run network-wide.
• Any constraints (no downtime, no DB writes, maintenance window).

Procedure

0) Guardrails: confirm environment and blast radius

WP-CLI commands can be destructive. Before running anything that writes:

1. Confirm environment (dev/staging/prod).
2. Confirm targeting (path/url) so you don’t hit the wrong site.
3. Make a backup when performing risky operations.

Read:

• references/safety.md

1) Inspect WP-CLI and site targeting (deterministic)

Run the inspector:

• node skills/wp-wpcli-and-ops/scripts/wpcli_inspect.mjs --path=<path> [--url=<url>]

If WP-CLI isn’t available, fall back to installing it via the project’s documented tooling (Composer, container, or system package), or ask for the expected execution environment.

Local environment WP-CLI: If operating on a local site (Studio, LocalWP, wp-env), each tool has its own WP-CLI invocation method. See wp-local-env skill for tool-specific commands:

• Studio: studio wp <command> --path=<site>
• LocalWP: <bundled-wp-cli> --path=<site-root> <command>
• wp-env: npx wp-env run cli wp <command>

2) Choose the right workflow

A) Safe URL/domain migration (search-replace)

Follow a safe sequence:

1. wp db export (backup)
2. wp search-replace --dry-run (review impact)
3. Run the real replace with appropriate flags
4. Flush caches/rewrite if needed

Read:

• references/search-replace.md

B) Plugin/theme operations

Use wp plugin * / wp theme * and confirm you’re acting on the intended site (and network) first.

Read:

• references/packages-and-updates.md

C) Cron and queues

Inspect cron state and run individual events for debugging rather than “run everything blindly”.

Read:

• references/cron-and-cache.md

D) Multisite operations

Multisite changes can affect many sites. Always decide whether you’re operating:

• on a single site (--url=), or
• network-wide (--network / iterating sites)

Read:

• references/multisite.md

3) Automation patterns (scripts + wp-cli.yml)

For repeatable ops, prefer:

• wp-cli.yml for defaults (path/url, PHP memory limits)
• shell scripts that log commands and stop on error
• CI jobs that run read-only checks by default

Read:

• references/automation.md

Verification

• Re-run wpcli_inspect after changes that could affect targeting or config.
• Confirm intended side effects:
  • correct URLs updated
  • plugins/themes in expected state
  • cron/caches flushed where needed
• If there’s a health check endpoint or smoke test suite, run it after ops changes.

Failure modes / debugging

• “Error: This does not seem to be a WordPress installation.”
  • wrong --path, wrong container, or missing wp-config.php
• Multisite commands affecting the wrong site
  • missing --url or wrong URL
• Search-replace causes unexpected serialization issues
  • wrong flags or changing serialized data unsafely

See:

• references/debugging.md

Escalation

• If you cannot confirm environment safety, do not run write operations.
• If the repo uses containerized tooling (Docker/wp-env) but you can’t access it, ask for the intended command runner or CI job.
• If working with a local dev environment (Studio/LocalWP/wp-env), route to the wp-local-env skill for environment-specific WP-CLI setup.

Multisite Operations

For WordPress Multisite network management (sub-sites, network plugins, Super Admin), see the wp-multisite skill which provides 10 dedicated MCP tools.