WP-CLI and Database Operations

Workflow

1. Confirm docroot, environment and database target before any write.
2. Prefer read commands first: option/plugin/theme/user/cron/db queries.
3. Back up the database before bulk mutations or cleanup.
4. Use wp search-replace --dry-run before replacements and preserve serialized data via WP-CLI.
5. For cleanup, quantify rows/bytes and prove table/option ownership before deletion.
6. Use transactions where practical for direct SQL.
7. Re-run targeted queries and application checks after mutation.

Guardrails

Never run global search-replace, arbitrary SQL deletion, user password changes, or cache flushes against an unverified environment.