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WordPress Databases Support

Installation

Installation is the entry point. Use this page to choose a path, then follow CLI Setup for the full copy-paste commands and backend flags.

A WordPress root is a directory that already contains WordPress core files such as wp-config.php, wp-load.php, and wp-content/. The installer installs this database support plugin and writes the database drop-in. It does not download or install WordPress core.

Choose A Path

Section titled “Choose A Path”
Goal Start here
Try the project without an existing site. Use the Docker-based JSON file storage quick start on the Overview.
Configure a new or existing WordPress site from a shell. Use CLI Setup.
Download the packaged plugin zip. Use Releases.
Use SQLite, PostgreSQL, DuckDB native files, JSON, CSV, Parquet, S3, attached SQLite, or custom DuckDB SQL templates. Use Set Up Each Backend.
Understand what the installer changes before running it. Read How It Works.
Choose DuckDB for production-like mutable storage. Read Performance and Production Readiness first.

Shortest CLI Path

Section titled “Shortest CLI Path”

Run this from a WordPress root to install the plugin, install the DuckDB PHP client, configure the drop-in, and store WordPress tables as JSON files:

Terminal window
curl -fsSL https://github.com/adamziel/wordpress-databases-support/releases/latest/download/install-database-support.php | php -- \
  --engine=duckdb \
  --install-duckdb-client \
  --duckdb-backend=json \
  --yes \
  --force

The same command works before the WordPress installer runs and on an already installed site. --force only allows setup to update an existing wp-config.php or wp-content/db.php; it does not migrate existing MySQL content into JSON. Test on a copy before touching a real site. DuckDB JSON also needs PHP FFI, Composer/network access for satur.io/duckdb, and the current JSON storage path is best treated as an experiment rather than a busy production database.

Use Set Up Each Backend for every backend variant and repeatable provisioning flag.

The bootstrap installer downloads the latest released plugin zip by default. To pin a release, add --release=v0.1.0. To test an unreleased development snapshot, add --ref=trunk.

Requirements

Section titled “Requirements”
  • PHP 7.2 or newer for the plugin shell and PostgreSQL/SQLite drivers.
  • PHP pdo.
  • PostgreSQL: PHP pdo_pgsql and a PostgreSQL server.
  • SQLite: PHP pdo_sqlite.
  • DuckDB embedded mode: PHP 8.3 or newer, PHP ffi, and the satur.io/duckdb PHP client in the WordPress PHP process.
  • DuckDB remote modes: the WordPress PHP process can run without DuckDB FFI, but the sidecar process still needs PHP 8.3 or newer, PHP ffi, and satur.io/duckdb.

Existing Plugin Directory

Section titled “Existing Plugin Directory”

The bootstrap installer refuses to replace an existing plugin directory unless you pass --force-install. Database setup has a separate --force flag for updating an existing wp-config.php or wp-content/db.php.