WP-CLI and Ops

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.

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.