WooCommerce CLI Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What is WooCommerce CLI?

• WooCommerce CLI (WC-CLI) is a command-line interface for managing WooCommerce settings and data. It provides a fast and efficient way to perform many tasks that would otherwise require manual work via the WordPress admin interface.

How do I install WooCommerce CLI?

• WooCommerce CLI is included as part of WooCommerce from version 3.0.0 onwards. Ensure you have WooCommerce 3.0.0 or later installed, and you automatically have access to WC-CLI.

Is WooCommerce CLI different from WP-CLI?

• WooCommerce CLI is a part of WP-CLI specifically designed for WooCommerce. While WP-CLI deals with general WordPress management, WC-CLI focuses on WooCommerce-specific tasks.

Technical Questions

How can I create a backup of my WooCommerce data?

• WC-CLI doesn’t directly handle backups. However, you can use other WP-CLI commands to export WooCommerce data or rely on WordPress backup plugins.

Can I update WooCommerce settings using the CLI?

• Yes, you can update many WooCommerce settings using WC-CLI. For example, to update store email settings, you would use a command like wp wc setting update [options].

Troubleshooting

Why am I getting a “permission denied” error?

• This error often occurs if your user role doesn’t have the necessary permissions. Ensure you’re using an account with administrative privileges.

What should I do if a command is not working as expected

• Check for typos and verify the command syntax with –help. If the issue persists, consult the Command Reference or seek support from the WooCommerce community.

What do I do if I get 404 errors when using commands?

If you are getting a 401 error like Error: Sorry, you cannot list resources. {"status":401}, you are trying to use the command unauthenticated. The WooCommerce CLI as of 3.0 requires you to provide a proper user to run the action as. Pass in your user ID using the --user flag.

I am trying to update a list of X, but it’s not saving

Some ‘lists’ are actually objects. For example, if you want to set categories for a product, the REST API expects an array of objects.

To set this you would use JSON like this:

		wp wc product create --name='Product Name' --categories='[ { "id" : 21 } ]' --user=admin

	

Advanced Usage

Can I use WooCommerce CLI for bulk product updates?

• Yes, WC-CLI is well-suited for bulk operations. You can use scripting to loop through a list of products and apply updates.

How do I handle complex queries with WC-CLI?

• WC-CLI supports various arguments and filters that you can use to build complex queries. Combining these with shell scripting can yield powerful results.