WP CLI Posts & Pages Skill

Then reference in config.yml:

@production:
  ssh: wp-production
  path: /var/www/html

Do not proceed until SSH connectivity is confirmed.

Step 1: Gather Context

Before doing anything, collect the necessary context based on the task:

For UPDATE tasks

• Ask the user for the page/post URL(s) to be updated — always, without exception.
• Derive the --url flag (for multisite) from the provided URL. See Multisite Handling below.
• If the post type cannot be clearly inferred from the URL, ask explicitly — do NOT guess.

For CREATE tasks

• Ask what post type this should be (post, page, or a custom post type name) if not clearly stated — do NOT assume.
• If this is a multisite setup, ask which sub-site the content should be created on if not stated.

Step 2: Fetch the Post ID

By URL

wp @<alias> post url-to-id <url> [--url=<subsite-url>]

Or by listing posts filtered by slug:

wp @<alias> post list --post_type=<type> --name=<slug> --fields=ID,post_title,post_status --format=json [--url=<subsite-url>]

If you get no results with post, try page or ask the user for the post type.

Step 3: Fetch Existing Content (Update Tasks Only)

Always retrieve the existing content before making any changes:

wp @<alias> post get <ID> --fields=post_title,post_content,post_excerpt,post_status --format=json [--url=<subsite-url>]

For meta/custom fields (e.g. ACF):

wp @<alias> post meta get <ID> <meta_key> --format=json [--url=<subsite-url>]

Apply the requested changes locally first (in your working context), and make only the minimum changes requested — no reformatting, no unsolicited additions, no structural changes.

Step 4: Handle Media Uploads (If Needed)

If the update involves new images or files, upload media before patching the post.

Upload from local path:

wp @<alias> media import /path/to/file.jpg --porcelain [--url=<subsite-url>]

Upload from a URL:

wp @<alias> media import https://example.com/image.jpg --porcelain [--url=<subsite-url>]

Attach to a post and set as featured image:

wp @<alias> media import image.jpg --post_id=<ID> --featured_image --porcelain [--url=<subsite-url>]

After import with --porcelain, WP-CLI outputs the plain attachment ID. To get the attachment URL (to use in post content), run:

wp @<alias> post get <ATTACHMENT_ID> --field=guid [--url=<subsite-url>]

Step 5: Apply the Update or Create the Post

Update an existing post

wp @<alias> post update <ID> \
  --post_title="Updated Title" \
  --post_content="Updated content here" \
  [--url=<subsite-url>]

Update a meta/custom field

wp @<alias> post meta update <ID> <meta_key> "<new_value>" [--url=<subsite-url>]

Create a new post/page/CPT

wp @<alias> post create \
  --post_type=<type> \
  --post_title="Title" \
  --post_content="Content" \
  --post_status=publish \
  --porcelain \
  [--url=<subsite-url>]

⚠️ Make the smallest requested change only. Do not alter formatting, structure, or any content that wasn't explicitly requested.

Step 6: Verify the Published Output

After updating or creating, fetch the live URL using web_fetch (or take a screenshot if available) to visually verify the changes:

• Confirm the update is reflected correctly.
• Check for layout issues, broken HTML, or missing media.
• If discrepancies are found, report them clearly and ask the user how to proceed before making further changes.

Multisite Handling

Always check the provided URL to determine if this is a multisite setup.

For create tasks, if the site is a multisite and the target sub-site isn't mentioned, ask explicitly before proceeding.

Custom Post Types (CPTs)

WP-CLI treats CPTs identically to posts/pages — just pass --post_type=<cpt_slug>.

For updates: If the post type cannot be inferred from the URL (most slugs don't expose this), ask the user directly:

"What post type is this? (e.g., post, page, product, event, etc.)"

For creates: If the user hasn't specified a post type, ask:

"What post type should this be created as?"

Do not assume post or page as a fallback for CPTs.

List all registered CPTs on the site (useful for reference):

wp @<alias> post-type list --fields=name,label --format=json [--url=<subsite-url>]

Quick Reference: Useful Commands