Administering WordPress from the Command Line (WP‑CLI)

The WordPress Command Line Interface (WP‑CLI) is a powerful tool that lets you manage WordPress directly from the terminal. On ruachost.com, WP‑CLI can be used to perform administrative tasks faster than through the dashboard, and it can be automated with cron jobs.

Why Use WP‑CLI?

Perform WordPress tasks quickly without logging into the dashboard.
Automate repetitive tasks with cron jobs.
Manage plugins, themes, users, and databases efficiently.
Useful for developers and system administrators familiar with Linux commands.

Getting Started with WP‑CLI

Access your server via SSH.
Navigate to the directory where WordPress is installed.
Run the following command to verify WP‑CLI is installed:

✅ If installed, you’ll see version and environment details.

wp --info

⚙️ Common WP‑CLI Commands

Managing Plugins

List installed plugins:
Terminal window
```
wp plugin list
```
Install and activate a plugin:
Terminal window
```
wp plugin install plugin-name --activate
```
Update all plugins:
Terminal window
```
wp plugin update --all
```

Updating WordPress

Update WordPress core:
Terminal window
```
wp core update
```
Update database after core update:
Terminal window
```
wp core update-db
```
Check current WordPress version:
Terminal window
```
wp core version
```

Database Management

Export database:
Terminal window
```
wp db export
```
Import database:
Terminal window
```
wp db import backup.sql
```
Optimize database:
Terminal window
```
wp db optimize
```
Repair database:
Terminal window
```
wp db repair
```

User Management

List all users:
Terminal window
```
wp user list
```

Update a user password:

wp user update username --user_pass=newpassword

⚙️ Options & Settings

Update admin email:

wp option update admin_email user@example.com

Retrieve custom login URL:
Terminal window
```
wp option get rwl_page
```

Automating with Cron Jobs

 You can schedule WP‑CLI commands using cron jobs. For example:

Daily database backup at 2:15 AM:

15 2 * * * cd /home/username/public_html; /usr/bin/wp db export >/dev/null 2>&1

Daily WordPress update at 3:15 AM:

Important Notes

WP‑CLI requires basic knowledge of the Linux command line.
Always back up your site before running update or database commands.
Some commands may not work outside the WordPress installation directory.
Test cron jobs carefully to avoid unintended changes.