Most GUI-based local development tools eventually hit a wall where you just want to run a terminal command and get on with your life. With version 1.7.0, the WordPress Studio CLI finally becomes the full-featured companion we needed. It’s no longer just a toy for managing preview sites; it’s a proper tool for local site management, authentication, and WP-CLI integration.
I’ve spent too many hours clicking through Electron apps just to restart a site or change a port. It’s a bottleneck. If you’re managing dozens of client projects, you need repeatability. This update moves WordPress Studio from a “nice-to-have” app for beginners into a serious contender for professional workflows.
Why the Terminal Always Wins
The biggest update in this release is the studio site command suite. In previous versions, the CLI felt like an afterthought. Now, you can spin up, start, stop, and even delete local environments without touching a mouse. This is huge for anyone who has ever dealt with the workflow headache of managing multiple client sites.
Here is how you spin up a specific environment now:
# Create a new site with HTTPS and a custom local domain
studio site create --https --domain myproject.wp.local --path ./my-siteIt handles the heavy lifting: setting up the environment, starting the server, and opening the admin. If you are already using something like WordPress Blueprints, this CLI makes those automated setups feel seamless.
WP-CLI Without the Configuration Pain
One common “gotcha” with local dev tools is getting your system’s WP-CLI to talk to the tool’s internal database. Usually, you’re wrestling with socket paths or DB credentials in your wp-cli.yml. The WordPress Studio CLI bypasses this by wrapping WP-CLI directly.
By running studio wp, you are executing commands inside the Studio environment. No extra configuration required. It’s technically precise and saves you from the “It works on my machine” nightmare.
# List plugins and check for updates inside the Studio context
studio wp plugin list --status=active
# Run a database migration after a core update
studio wp core update-dbPowering Up AI Coding Agents
This is where it gets interesting for those of us using Claude Code or Cursor. An AI agent is only as good as the tools it can touch. By enabling the CLI in the Studio settings, you give your AI assistant a “brain-to-server” link. You can literally prompt your agent to “Spin up a new local site called ‘Testing Lab’ and install the latest WooCommerce,” and it can actually execute those studio commands for you.
Just remember to set clear boundaries. I once let an agent loose on a directory and it nearly deleted a legacy site because I wasn’t specific about the --path. Always tell your agent to verify the current directory before running destructive studio site delete commands.
For a full breakdown of the flags, check the official Studio CLI documentation.
Look, if this WordPress Studio CLI stuff is eating up your dev hours, let me handle it. I’ve been wrestling with WordPress since the 4.x days.
The Takeaway: Ship it
WordPress Studio 1.7.0 isn’t just a minor patch. It’s a shift toward an automation-first mindset. Whether you’re scripting deployments or letting an AI handle the repetitive setup, this CLI is the bridge you’ve been waiting for. Update your app, enable the CLI in the settings, and stop clicking so many buttons.
