WordPress Management Script Usage Guide

Introduction

The wp-management script is a powerful Bash tool designed to streamline the management of WordPress sites. It supports two primary functions: backing up a WordPress site (including files and database) and dockerizing a WordPress site to run in a containerized environment with automatic restoration of backups. This guide explains the script’s purpose, how to use it, and provides practical examples to help you get started.

What is the wp-management Script?

The wp-management script automates essential WordPress site management tasks:

  1. Backup:

    • Creates a complete backup of a WordPress site, including:
      • The wp-content directory (themes, plugins, uploads) as a .tar.gz archive.
      • The wp-config.php configuration file.
      • The MySQL/MariaDB database as a .sql file.
      • A backup_info text file summarizing the backup details.

  2. Dockerization:

    • Sets up a Docker environment for a WordPress site, generating:
      • A .env file with configuration variables.
      • A docker-compose.yml file defining MariaDB, WordPress, and phpMyAdmin containers.
      • A manage.sh script to control the Docker environment (start, stop, backup, restore, etc.).
      • A README.md with usage instructions.
    • Automatically checks and creates required Docker networks (wp-net and nginx-net).
    • Restores wp-content and the database from existing backups, if available.

This script is ideal for developers, system administrators, or WordPress site owners who need to secure site data, deploy sites in Docker, or restore sites from backups.

Prerequisites

Before using the script, ensure the following are installed on your system:

  • Bash: Required for running the script (available on Linux/macOS or WSL on Windows).
  • MySQL Client: Needed for database backups (mysqldump is required).
  • Docker and Docker Compose: Required for dockerization (use docker compose for newer versions).
  • WordPress Site or Backup: A WordPress site folder with a valid wp-config.php or a backup directory containing wp-config_*.php, wp-content_*.tar.gz, and database_*.sql files.
  • Permissions: Write access to the directories for backups and Docker files.
  • Optional: openssl for generating secure passwords during dockerization.

Install dependencies on Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install mysql-client docker.io docker-compose-v2
sudo apt install openssl  # Optional, for secure password generation

How to Use the Script

1. Setup

  1. Save the Script: Save the wp-management script to a file named wp-management.
  2. Make it Executable:
    chmod +x wp-management
  3. Place the Script: Place the script in a directory with access to your WordPress site folder(s) or backup directory.

2. Script Usage

The script supports two commands: backup and dockerize. The general syntax is:

./wp-management {backup|dockerize} <site_name>
  • backup: Backs up the WordPress site named <site_name>.
  • dockerize: Creates a Docker environment for the WordPress site named <site_name>, automatically restoring backups if available.
  • <site_name>: The name of the folder containing the WordPress site (e.g., mysite for ./mysite) or the backup directory (e.g., ./backup/mysite).

3. Directory Structure

For backups, the script expects the WordPress site in a folder named <site_name>:

./mysite/wp-content/
./mysite/wp-config.php
./wp-management

For dockerization, it can use either the site folder or a backup directory:

./backup/mysite/wp-content_20250927_110715.tar.gz
./backup/mysite/wp-config_20250927_110715.php
./backup/mysite/database_20250927_110715.sql
./wp-management

4. Docker Network Setup

The script automatically checks for and creates the required Docker networks (wp-net and nginx-net) if they don’t exist, ensuring seamless container communication.

Examples

Example 1: Backing Up a WordPress Site

Suppose you have a WordPress site in the folder ./mysite.

Command:

./wp-management backup mysite

What Happens:

  • The script verifies the ./mysite folder and its wp-config.php file.
  • It extracts database credentials (DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD, DB_HOST) from wp-config.php.
  • It creates a backup directory (./backup/mysite).
  • It backs up:
    • wp-content as wp-content_20250927_110715.tar.gz.
    • wp-config.php as wp-config_20250927_110715.php.
    • The database as database_20250927_110715.sql.
    • A backup_info_20250927_110715.txt file with details.
  • Output is color-coded (e.g., green for success, red for errors).

Result: Backup files are stored in ./backup/mysite. You can use these for restoration or migration.

Example 2: Dockerizing a WordPress Site with Backup Restoration

Suppose you have a WordPress site in ./mysite or backups in ./backup/mysite.

Command:

./wp-management dockerize mysite

What Happens:

  • The script checks for wp-config.php in ./mysite or ./backup/mysite.
  • If multiple wp-config_*.php backups are found, it prompts you to select one or copy the desired one to ./mysite/wp-config.php.
  • It extracts database credentials from wp-config.php.
  • It creates a Docker directory (./docker-mysite) with:
    • .env: Environment variables (e.g., database credentials, container names).
    • docker-compose.yml: Defines MariaDB, WordPress, and phpMyAdmin containers.
    • manage.sh: A script to manage containers.
    • README.md: Usage instructions.
  • It checks and creates Docker networks (wp-net, nginx-net) if missing.
  • If backups exist in ./backup/mysite:
    • Restores wp-content from the latest wp-content_*.tar.gz to ./docker-mysite/wp-data.
    • Copies the latest database_*.sql to ./docker-mysite/restore_database.sql, starts the database container, and restores the database.
  • It pauses for user confirmation before critical steps (e.g., database restoration).

Result: The Docker environment is set up in ./docker-mysite. To start the containers:

cd docker-mysite
docker compose up -d

Access:

  • WordPress: Access via a reverse proxy or uncomment the port mapping in docker-compose.yml (e.g., 8080:80) to access at http://localhost:8080.
  • phpMyAdmin: Access via a reverse proxy or uncomment the port mapping (e.g., 8081:80) to access at http://localhost:8081.

Manage the Containers:

./manage.sh start      # Start containers
./manage.sh stop       # Stop containers
./manage.sh restart    # Restart containers
./manage.sh logs       # View logs
./manage.sh shell      # Access WordPress container shell
./manage.sh backup     # Back up the database
./manage.sh restore-db # Restore database from restore_database.sql
./manage.sh status     # Check container status

Example 3: Manual Database Restoration

If you have a database backup file, you can manually restore it.

Steps:

  1. Place the .sql file in the Docker directory as restore_database.sql:
    cp ./backup/mysite/database_20250927_110715.sql ./docker-mysite/restore_database.sql
  2. Run the restore command:
    cd docker-mysite
./manage.sh restore-db

What Happens:

  • The script checks if the database container is running and ready.
  • It restores the database from restore_database.sql using mariadb or mysql as a fallback.
  • It provides feedback on success or failure with manual restore instructions if needed.

Example 4: Checking Container Status

To verify the status of your Docker containers:

cd docker-mysite
./manage.sh status

Output Example:

Container Status:
Database Container (wordpress_mysite_db):
  ✓ Running
  ✓ Database is responsive
WordPress Container (wordpress_mysite_webserver):
  ✓ Running
phpMyAdmin Container (wordpress_mysite_phpmyadmin):
  ✓ Running

Use Cases

  • Backups:
    • Create regular backups before WordPress updates or migrations.
    • Store backups securely for disaster recovery.
    • Use backups to restore a site in a Docker environment.
  • Dockerization:
    • Develop or test WordPress sites in a consistent, isolated environment.
    • Deploy sites in production behind a reverse proxy (e.g., Nginx).
    • Restore existing sites from backups for quick setup.
  • Database Management:
    • Use manage.sh backup to create database snapshots.
    • Use manage.sh restore-db to recover from a backup or migrate data.

Pro Tips

  • Automate Backups: Schedule backups using cron:
    0 2 * * * /path/to/wp-management backup mysite
    This runs a backup daily at 2 AM.
  • Secure Backups: Move backup files to cloud storage or an offsite location.
  • Handle Multiple Backups: If multiple wp-config_*.php files exist, copy the desired one to ./mysite/wp-config.php to avoid ambiguity.
  • SSH Tunneling for Remote Sites: Use SSH forward tunneling to access a remote database:
    ssh -L 3306:dbserver.local:3306 user@ssh.example.com
  • Monitor Containers: Use ./manage.sh status to check container health before performing backups or restores.

Troubleshooting

  • Folder Not Found: Ensure the <site_name> folder or ./backup/<site_name> exists with valid files.
  • Multiple Backups: If multiple wp-config_*.php files are found, manually copy the desired one to the site folder.
  • Missing Dependencies: Install mysqldump, docker, and docker-compose-v2 as needed.
  • Docker Port Conflicts: Modify port mappings in docker-compose.yml if 8080 or 8081 are in use.
  • Database Errors: Verify database credentials in wp-config.php and ensure the MySQL/MariaDB server is running.
  • Container Not Ready: Use ./manage.sh status to check if containers are running and healthy before restoring.

Resources

Use the wp-management script to efficiently manage your WordPress sites with backups and Docker deployments!