WP-CLI Cheat Sheet — A Quick Reference Guide for Using WP CLI like a Pro!

WP-CLI is the command-line interface for WordPress which enables you to manage and maintain WordPress sites without using a web browser. There are commands to install plugins, activate theme, update WordPress core, search and replace WordPress database, take a backup and the list goes on. WP CLI is a handy resource for the developers and it is also an effective tool for fixing a hacked WordPress site.

So let’s start with installing WP CLI.

WP CLI Installation Guide

Prerequisites:

UNIX-like environment (Linux, FreeBSD, OS X) (limited support in Windows environment)
PHP 5.6 or later
WordPress 3.7 or later (versions older than the latest WordPress release may have degraded functionality)

Step One: Download the wp-cli.phar file using curl:

curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wp-cli/builds/gh-pages/phar/wp-cli.phar

Step Two: Verify that the PHAR file is working:

php wp-cli.phar --info

Step Three: Make wp-cli.phar executable:

chmod +x wp-cli.phar

Step Four: Rename wp-cli.phar to call is wp for ease of use

sudo mv wp-cli.phar wp

Step Five: Verify that wp command is working

wp --info

If WP-CLI was installed successfully, you will see the following output:

OS:	Linux e43.ehosts.com 3.10.0-693.11.6.1.ELK.el6.x86_64 #1 SMP Tue Jan 23 10:30:30 MST 2018 x86_64
Shell:	/usr/local/cpanel/bin/jailshell
PHP binary:	/opt/cpanel/ea-php56/root/usr/bin/php
PHP version:	5.6.40
php.ini used:	/opt/cpanel/ea-php56/root/etc/php.ini
WP-CLI root dir:	phar://wp-cli.phar/vendor/wp-cli/wp-cli
WP-CLI vendor dir:	phar://wp-cli.phar/vendor
WP_CLI phar path:	/home2/me/public_html/cgi-bin
WP-CLI packages dir:	
WP-CLI global config:	
WP-CLI project config:	/home2/me/public_html/wp-cli.yml
WP-CLI version:	2.0.0

Reference: Official WP CLI Installation Guide

WP CLI Commands — Usage Examples and Listing

Here are some of the WP CLI commands that I use most of time:

Backing up WordPress Database:
```
wp db export example-db.sql
```
replace example-db.sql with what you want to call your sql backup file
Database Search and Replace:
```
wp search-replace 'http://example.test' 'http://example.com'
```
replace http://example.test with old value and http://example.com with new value
Flush cache:
```
wp cache flush
```
Install and activate plugin:
```
wp plugin install bbpress --activate
```
Flush / Refresh Permalink:
```
wp rewrite flush
```

And here’s a complete list of WP CLI commands for managing WordPress via command-line interface:

Cache

wp cache commands for adding, removing, fetching, and flushing the WP Object Cache object

Command	Description
wp cache add	Adds a value to the object cache
wp cache decr	Decrements a value in the object cache
wp cache delete	Removes a value from the object cache
wp cache flush	Flushes the object cache
wp cache get	Gets a value from the object cache
wp cache incr	Increments a value in the object cache
wp cache replace	Replaces a value in the object cache, if the value already exists
wp cache set	Sets a value to the object cache, regardless of whether it already exists
wp cache type	Attempts to determine which object cache is being used

Cap

wp cap commands for adding, removing, and listing capabilities of a user role

Command	Description
wp cap add	Adds capabilities to a given role
wp cap list	Lists capabilities for a given role
wp cap remove	Removes capabilities from a given role

CLI

wp cli commands for reviewing current WP-CLI info, checking for updates, or viewing defined aliases

Command	Description
wp cli alias	Retrieves, sets and updates aliases for WordPress Installations
wp cli cache	Manages the internal WP-CLI cache
wp cli check-update	Checks to see if there is a newer version of WP-CLI available
wp cli cmd-dump	Dumps the list of installed commands, as JSON
wp cli completions	Generates tab completion strings
wp cli has-command	Detects if a command exists
wp cli info	Prints various details about the WP-CLI environment
wp cli param-dump	Dumps the list of global parameters, as JSON or in var_export format
wp cli update	Updates WP-CLI to the latest release
wp cli version	Prints WP-CLI version

Comment

wp comment commands for creating, updating, deleting, and moderating comments

Command	Description
wp comment approve	Approves a comment
wp comment count	Counts comments, on whole blog or on a given post
wp comment create	Creates a new comment
wp comment delete	Deletes a comment
wp comment exists	Verifies whether a comment exists
wp comment generate	Generates some number of new dummy comments
wp comment get	Gets the data of a single comment
wp comment list	Gets a list of comments
wp comment meta	Adds, updates, deletes, and lists comment custom fields
wp comment recount	Recalculates the comment_count value for one or more posts
wp comment spam	Marks a comment as spam
wp comment status	Gets the status of a comment
wp comment trash	Trashes a comment
wp comment unapprove	Unapproves a comment
wp comment unspam	Unmarks a comment as spam
wp comment untrash	Untrashes a comment
wp comment update	Updates one or more comments

Config

wp config commands for generating and reading the wp-config.php file

Command	Description
wp config create	Generates a wp-config.php file
wp config delete	Deletes a specific constant or variable from the wp-config.php file
wp config edit	Launches system editor to edit the wp-config.php file
wp config get	Gets the value of a specific constant or variable defined in wp-config.php file
wp config has	Checks whether a specific constant or variable exists in the wp-config.php file
wp config list	Lists variables, constants, and file includes defined in wp-config.php file
wp config path	Gets the path to wp-config.php file
wp config set	Sets the value of a specific constant or variable defined in wp-config.php file
wp config shuffle-salts	Refreshes the salts defined in the wp-config.php file

Core

wp core commands for downloading, installing, updating, and managing a WordPress installation

Command	Description
wp core check-update	Checks for WordPress updates via Version Check API
wp core download	Downloads core WordPress files
wp core install	Runs the standard WordPress installation process
wp core is-installed	Checks if WordPress is installed
wp core multisite-convert	Transforms an existing single-site installation into a multisite installation
wp core multisite-install	Installs WordPress multisite from scratch
wp core update	Updates WordPress to a newer version
wp core update-db	Runs the WordPress database update procedure
wp core verify-checksums	Verifies WordPress files against WordPress.org’s checksums
wp core version	Displays the WordPress version

Cron

wp cron commands for testing, runing, and deleting WP-Cron events; managing WP-Cron schedules

Command	Description
wp cron event	Schedules, runs, and deletes WP-Cron events
wp cron schedule	Gets WP-Cron schedules
wp cron test	Tests the WP Cron spawning system and reports back its status

Database

wp db commands for performing basic database operations using credentials stored in wp-config.php

Command	Description
wp db check	Checks the current status of the database
wp db clean	Removes all tables with `$table_prefix` from the database
wp db cli	Opens a MySQL console using credentials from wp-config.php
wp db columns	Displays information about a given table
wp db create	Creates a new database
wp db drop	Deletes the existing database
wp db export	Exports the database to a file or to STDOUT
wp db import	Imports a database from a file or from STDIN
wp db optimize	Optimizes the database
wp db prefix	Displays the database table prefix
wp db query	Executes a SQL query against the database
wp db repair	Repairs the database
wp db reset	Removes all tables from the database
wp db search	Finds a string in the database
wp db size	Displays the database name and size
wp db tables	Lists the database tables

Embeds

wp embed commands for inspecting oEmbed providers, clearing embed cache, and more

Command	Description
wp embed cache	Finds, triggers, and deletes oEmbed caches
wp embed fetch	Attempts to convert a URL into embed HTML
wp embed handler	Retrieves embed handlers
wp embed provider	Retrieves oEmbed providers

Language

wp language commands for installing, activating, and managing language packs

Command	Description
wp language core	Installs, activates, and manages core language packs
wp language plugin	Installs, activates, and manages plugin language packs
wp language theme	Installs, activates, and manages theme language packs

Maintenance Mode

wp maintenance-mode commands for activating, deactivating or checking the status of the maintenance mode of a site

Command	Description
wp maintenance-mode activate	Activates maintenance mode
wp maintenance-mode deactivate	Deactivates maintenance mode
wp maintenance-mode is-active	Detects maintenance mode status
wp maintenance-mode status	Displays maintenance mode status

Media

wp media commands for importing files as attachments, regenerating thumbnails, or listing registered image sizes

Command	Description
wp media fix-orientation	Fix image orientation for one or more attachments
wp media image-size	Lists image sizes registered with WordPress
wp media import	Creates attachments from local files or URLs
wp media regenerate	Regenerates thumbnails for one or more attachments

wp menu commands for listing, creating, assigning, and deleting the active theme’s navigation menus

Command	Description
wp menu create	Creates a new menu
wp menu delete	Deletes one or more menus
wp menu item	List, add, and delete items associated with a menu
wp menu list	Gets a list of menus
wp menu location	Assigns, removes, and lists a menu’s locations

Network

wp network commands for performing network-wide operations

Command	Description
wp network meta	Gets, adds, updates, deletes, and lists network custom fields.
wp network meta add	Add a meta field
wp network meta delete	Delete a meta field
wp network meta get	Get meta field value
wp network meta list	List all metadata associated with an object
wp network meta patch	Update a nested value for a meta field
wp network meta pluck	Get a nested value from a meta field
wp network meta update	Update a meta field

Option

wp option commands for retrieving and setting site options, including plugin and WordPress settings

Command	Description
wp option add	Adds a new option value
wp option delete	Deletes an option
wp option get	Gets the value for an option
wp option list	Lists options and their values
wp option patch	Updates a nested value in an option
wp option pluck	Gets a nested value from an option
wp option update	Updates an option value

Package

wp package commands for listing, installing, and removing WP-CLI packages

Command	Description
wp package browse	Browses WP-CLI packages available for installation
wp package install	Installs a WP-CLI package
wp package list	Lists installed WP-CLI packages
wp package path	Gets the path to an installed WP-CLI package, or the package directory
wp package uninstall	Uninstalls a WP-CLI package
wp package update	Updates all installed WP-CLI packages to their latest version

Plugin

wp plugin commands for managing plugins, including installs, activations, and updates

Command	Description
wp plugin activate	Activates one or more plugins
wp plugin auto-updates	Manages plugin auto-updates
wp plugin deactivate	Deactivates one or more plugins
wp plugin delete	Deletes plugin files without deactivating or uninstalling
wp plugin get	Gets details about an installed plugin
wp plugin install	Installs one or more plugins
wp plugin is-active	Checks if a given plugin is active
wp plugin is-installed	Checks if a given plugin is installed
wp plugin list	Gets a list of plugins
wp plugin path	Gets the path to a plugin or to the plugin directory
wp plugin search	Searches the WordPress.org plugin directory
wp plugin status	Reveals the status of one or all plugins
wp plugin toggle	Toggles a plugin’s activation state
wp plugin uninstall	Uninstalls one or more plugins
wp plugin update	Updates one or more plugins
wp plugin verify-checksums	Verifies plugin files against WordPress.org’s checksums

Post

wp post commands for managing posts, content, and meta

Command	Description
wp post create	Creates a new post
wp post delete	Deletes an existing post
wp post edit	Launches system editor to edit post content
wp post exists	Verifies whether a post exists
wp post generate	Generates some posts
wp post get	Gets details about a post
wp post list	Gets a list of posts
wp post meta	Adds, updates, deletes, and lists post custom fields
wp post term	Adds, updates, removes, and lists post terms
wp post update	Updates one or more existing posts

Post Type

wp post-type commands for retrieving details on the site’s registered post types

Command	Description
wp post-type get	Gets details about a registered post type
wp post-type list	Lists registered post types

Profile

wp profile commands

Command	Description
wp profile eval	Profile arbitrary code execution
wp profile eval-file	Profile execution of an arbitrary file
wp profile hook	Profile key metrics for WordPress hooks (actions and filters)
wp profile stage	Profile each stage of the WordPress load process (bootstrap, main_query, template)

Rewrite

wp profile commands for listing or flushing the site’s rewrite rules, updating the permalink structure

Command	Description
wp rewrite flush	Flushes rewrite rules
wp rewrite list	Gets a list of the current rewrite rules
wp rewrite structure	Updates the permalink structure

Role

wp role commands for managing user roles, including creating new roles and resetting to defaults

Command	Description
wp role create	Creates a new role
wp role delete	Deletes an existing role
wp role exists	Checks if a role exists
wp role list	Lists all roles
wp role reset	Resets any default role to default capabilities

Scaffold

wp scaffold commands for generating code for post types, taxonomies, plugins, child themes, etc

Command	Description
wp scaffold block	Generates PHP, JS and CSS code for registering a Gutenberg block for a plugin or theme
wp scaffold child-theme	Generates child theme based on an existing theme
wp scaffold plugin	Generates starter code for a plugin
wp scaffold plugin-tests	Generates files needed for running PHPUnit tests in a plugin
wp scaffold post-type	Generates PHP code for registering a custom post type
wp scaffold taxonomy	Generates PHP code for registering a custom taxonomy
wp scaffold theme-tests	Generates files needed for running PHPUnit tests in a theme
wp scaffold underscores	Generates starter code for a theme based on _s
wp scaffold _s	Generates starter code for a theme based on _s

wp sidebar commands for listing registered sidebars

Command	Description
wp sidebar list	Lists registered sidebars

Site

wp site commands for creating, deleting, emptying, moderating, and listing one or more sites on a multisite installation

Command	Description
wp site activate	Activates one or more sites
wp site archive	Archives one or more sites
wp site create	Creates a site in a multisite installation
wp site deactivate	Deactivates one or more sites
wp site delete	Deletes a site in a multisite installation
wp site empty	Empties a site of its content (posts, comments, terms, and meta)
wp site list	Lists all sites in a multisite installation
wp site mature	Sets one or more sites as mature
wp site meta	Adds, updates, deletes, and lists site custom fields
wp site option	Adds, updates, deletes, and lists site options in a multisite installation
wp site private	Sets one or more sites as private
wp site public	Sets one or more sites as public
wp site spam	Marks one or more sites as spam
wp site switch-language	Activates a given language
wp site unarchive	Unarchives one or more sites
wp site unmature	Sets one or more sites as immature
wp site unspam	Removes one or more sites from spam

Super Admin

wp super-admin commands for listing, adding, or removing super admin users on a multisite installation

Command	Description
wp super-admin add	Grants super admin privileges to one or more users
wp super-admin list	Lists users with super admin capabilities
wp super-admin remove	Removes super admin privileges from one or more users

Taxonomy

wp taxonomy commands for retrieving information about registered taxonomies

Command	Description
wp taxonomy get	Gets details about a registered taxonomy
wp taxonomy list	Lists registered taxonomies

Term

wp term commands for managing taxonomy terms and term meta, with create, delete, and list commands

Command	Description
wp term create	Creates a new term
wp term delete	Deletes an existing term
wp term generate	Generates some terms
wp term get	Gets details about a term
wp term list	Lists terms in a taxonomy
wp term meta	Adds, updates, deletes, and lists term custom fields
wp term migrate	Migrate a term of a taxonomy to another taxonomy
wp term recount	Recalculates number of posts assigned to each term
wp term update	Updates an existing term

Theme

wp theme commands for managing themes, including installs, activations, and updates

Command	Description
wp theme activate	Activates a theme
wp theme auto-updates	Manages theme auto-updates
wp theme delete	Deletes one or more themes
wp theme disable	Disables a theme on a WordPress multisite install
wp theme enable	Enables a theme on a WordPress multisite install
wp theme get	Gets details about a theme
wp theme install	Installs one or more themes
wp theme is-active	Checks if a given theme is active
wp theme is-installed	Checks if a given theme is installed
wp theme list	Gets a list of themes
wp theme mod	Sets, gets, and removes theme mods
wp theme path	Gets the path to a theme or to the theme directory
wp theme search	Searches the WordPress.org theme directory
wp theme status	Reveals the status of one or all themes
wp theme update	Updates one or more themes

Transient

wp transient commands for adding, getting, and deleting entries in the WordPress Transient Cache

Command	Description
wp transient delete	Deletes a transient value
wp transient get	Gets a transient value
wp transient list	Lists transients and their values
wp transient set	Sets a transient value
wp transient type	Determines the type of transients implementation

User

wp user commands for managing users, along with their roles, capabilities, and meta

Command	Description
wp user add-cap	Adds a capability to a user
wp user add-role	Adds a role for a user
wp user application-password	Creates, updates, deletes, lists and retrieves application passwords
wp user check-password	Checks if a user’s password is valid or not
wp user create	Creates a new user
wp user delete	Deletes one or more users from the current site
wp user generate	Generates some users
wp user get	Gets details about a user
wp user import-csv	Imports users from a CSV file
wp user list	Lists users
wp user list-caps	Lists all capabilities for a user
wp user meta	Adds, updates, deletes, and lists user custom fields
wp user remove-cap	Removes a user’s capability
wp user remove-role	Removes a user’s role
wp user reset-password	Resets the password for one or more users
wp user session	Destroys and lists a user’s sessions
wp user set-role	Sets the user role
wp user spam	Marks one or more users as spam
wp user term	Adds, updates, removes, and lists user terms
wp user unspam	Removes one or more users from spam
wp user update	Updates an existing user

wp widget commands for managing widgets, including adding and moving them within sidebars

Command	Description
wp widget add	Adds a widget to a sidebar
wp widget deactivate	Deactivates one or more widgets from an active sidebar
wp widget delete	Deletes one or more widgets from a sidebar
wp widget list	Lists widgets associated with a sidebar
wp widget move	Moves the position of a widget
wp widget reset	Resets sidebar
wp widget update	Updates options for an existing widget

Internationalization

wp i18n commands for providing internationalization tools for WordPress projects

Command	Description
wp i18n make-json	Extract JavaScript strings from PO files and add them to individual JSON files
wp i18n make-mo	Create MO files from PO files
wp i18n make-pot	Create a POT file for a WordPress project
wp i18n update-po	Update PO files from a POT file

Others

WP CLI commands which do not have any subcommands

Command	Description
wp admin	Open /wp-admin/ in a browser
wp eval	Exports WordPress content to a WXR file
wp eval-file	Loads and executes a PHP file
wp import	Imports content from a given WXR file
wp export	Exports WordPress content to a WXR file
wp find	Find WordPress installations on the filesystem
wp help	Gets help on WP-CLI, or on a specific command
wp shell	Opens an interactive PHP console for running and testing PHP code
wp server	Launches PHP’s built-in web server for a specific WordPress installation
wp search-replace	Searches/replaces strings in the database
wp dist-archive	Create a distribution archive based on a project’s .distignore file