WP CLI Commands to Bulk Delete Entries in WordPress Database

In the world of WordPress development, database maintenance is a vital task. Over time, databases can become cluttered with unnecessary entries, affecting both performance and efficiency. This post serves as a guide to harnessing the power of WP CLI commands for bulk deletion, streamlining our WordPress database and keeping the website running at its best.

1. Purging Spam & Trashed Comments:

Leverage WP CLI to rid your database of these unnecessary comments. Use the command:

wp comment delete $(wp comment list --status=spam --format=ids)
wp comment delete $(wp comment list --status=trash --format=ids)

2. Managing Pending Comments:

Approve valid comments, and clear out the rest with this command:

wp comment delete $(wp comment list --status=hold --format=ids)

3. Streamlining Post Revisions:

Optimize by eliminating post revisions using:

wp post delete $(wp post list --post_type='revision' --format=ids) --force

4. Starting Fresh with Posts:

Begin anew by deleting all existing posts and focusing on quality content:

wp post delete $(wp post list --format=ids)

5. Clearing Unnecessary Attachments:

Improve performance by eliminating unused images and attachments:

wp post delete --force --allow-root $(wp post list --post_type='attachment' --format=ids --allow-root)

6. Deleting Post Meta by Specific Key:

Optimize your database by removing post meta with a specific key:

wp db query "DELETE FROM wp_postmeta WHERE meta_key = 'mashsb_jsonshares'"

As a developer, these commands are the easiest items in my performance optimization toolkit. Regular maintenance and focusing on database efficiency will lead to faster, more reliable WordPress.

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This article was published on August 21, 2023

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