WP-CLI is a command-line interface for managing WordPress websites. It allows you to update plugins, manage users, verify WordPress files, and perform various maintenance tasks directly from a terminal.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to install WP-CLI on your cPanel hosting account without requiring root or server administrator privileges.

1. Open the cPanel Terminal

Log in to cPanel and navigate to Advanced -> Terminal. Alternatively, you can connect using SSH if SSH access is enabled for your hosting account.

2. Install WP-CLI

Create a bin directory in your home folder, download WP-CLI, and make it executable:

mkdir -p "$HOME/bin"
curl -fsSL -o "$HOME/bin/wp" https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wp-cli/builds/gh-pages/phar/wp-cli.phar
chmod +x "$HOME/bin/wp"

WP-CLI is now installed in your hosting account. There is no need to rename the downloaded file, as it is saved directly as wp.

3. Add WP-CLI to Your PATH

To run WP-CLI using the shorter wp command, the $HOME/bin directory must be included in your PATH environment variable.

Check your current PATH:

echo "$PATH"

If your home directory’s bin folder is not included, add the following line to your ~/.bash_profile file:

export PATH="$HOME/bin:$PATH"

Reload your profile:

source ~/.bash_profile

Depending on your shell configuration, you may need to add the PATH setting to a different startup file, such as ~/.bashrc.

4. Verify the Installation

Run:

wp --info

If the installation was successful, you should see information about your WP-CLI version, PHP version, and environment.

5. Manage WordPress Using WP-CLI

Navigate to your WordPress installation directory. For example:

cd ~/public_html

Useful WP-CLI commands include:

wp core version
wp plugin list
wp theme list
wp core verify-checksums
wp plugin update --all
wp cache flush

Important: We recommend backing up your website files and database before updating WordPress, plugins, or themes.

6. Updating WP-CLI

You can update WP-CLI using:

wp cli update

Alternatively, download the latest version again:

curl -fsSL -o "$HOME/bin/wp" https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wp-cli/builds/gh-pages/phar/wp-cli.phar
chmod +x "$HOME/bin/wp"

Troubleshooting

wp: command not found — verify that $HOME/bin is included in your PATH. You can also run WP-CLI directly using $HOME/bin/wp --info.

PHP errors — check your command-line PHP version using php -v. The PHP version used by cPanel’s terminal may differ from the PHP version configured for your website.

WordPress installation not found — ensure you’re running commands from your WordPress installation directory, or specify the installation path using the --path parameter.

Additional Resources

Official documentation: WP-CLI Installation Guide.