WP-CLI 0.16 Adds WP-Cron Management and Core Checksums Verification

WP-CLI 0.16 was released today with help from contributors at WordCamp Seattle. Cron management is the headline feature in this release, and you can now check all scheduled cron events:

$ wp cron event list

This will output the hook from which the WP-Cron event is fired, next_run_gmt, next_run_relative, and the recurrence (i.e. 12hrs, 1 day, etc.)

You can also now run a specific cron event:

$ wp cron event run wp_scheduled_delete
Success: Successfully executed the cron event 'wp_scheduled_delete'

Version 0.16 also allows you inspect registered cron schedules. You can get all the details by typing in wp help cron.

This release adds the capability of verifying core checksums, a cool new feature that uses the the MD5 algorithm to see if any of your WordPress core files have been compromised. This is very handy if you suspect that a site has been hacked. If there are no problems, you’ll see a success message. If files have been modified, you’ll see an error:

$ wp core verify-checksums
Warning: File doesn't verify against checksum: readme.html
Error: WordPress install doesn't verify against checksums.

WP-CLI 0.16 includes roughly a dozen new commands and fixes, with 37 closed issues in this milestone. Check out the release announcement to see a list of all the new commands available.

The project has been trucking along successfully after Daniel Bachhuber took over as the new maintainer in mid-April. Bachhuber conducted a survey a couple of months ago to determine how to prioritize new development on the project. The results showed that WP-CLI is largely used to install, update, and perform migrations. The two releases that followed have helped resolve issues related to those tasks.

The wp-cli.org website is sporting a fresh, new look. Drop by and check out the details of the latest 0.16 release.