About
Developing websites is exciting. Using WordPress as a CMS makes it even more so, as it opens the door to an uncountable amount of possibilities and design options. Web developers love the technical possibilities it offers just as much as the fact that it is fully customizable with various themes and plugins. Also we like creating WordPress websites. But all the good things in live come with a small price: The process of setting up projects is simple, yet it quickly becomes a redundant part of the job, as it is necessary to go through the same procedure over and over again.
This is where WP Kickstart kicks in!
Built with Node.js, wp-kickstart is a CLI tool making fully automated WordPress installations possible. One configuration file and a single command is all that’s needed to create any environment wished for.
How it works
The old fashioned way
Below is an example of what a common installation procedure for a WordPress site may look like. As you can see, there is multiple steps involved which require manual work.
01WordPress Download
The latest release has to be downloaded and placed into the according target directory.
02Database Creation
A database needs to be created in order to run the installation process.
03Installation Setup
The WordPress installation Setup can now be accessed and guides through the process.
04Configuration
A lot of common configuration values have to be added manually after the setup.
05Cleanup
WordPress comes with pre-installed themes and plugins as well as some dummy content. Those components are mostly not needed and have to be deleted manually.
06Component Installation
Everyone has his to-go theme or plugins used in most installations. These now have to be searched and installed manually as well.
The WP Kickstart way
The procedure using WP Kickstart is a child’s game in comparison. Setting up some configuration and running a single command is all that’s needed to create an environment, ready to be worked with.
01JSON Configuration
A JSON file containing environment configuration (database, themes, plugins etc.) is placed wherever WordPress should be installed. A complete list of the available options can be found here.
02Swish and flick
Running the wp-kickstart command pointing to the directory is all that's left. One sip of coffee later, WordPress is installed and configured according to the JSON-file.
Showcase
The animation below demonstrates the usage of WP Kickstart in realtime.
