Wp Playground

1---2name: wp-playground3description: "Use for WordPress Playground workflows: fast disposable WP instances in the browser or locally via @wp-playground/cli (server, run-blueprint, build-snapshot), auto-mounting plugins/themes, switching WP/PHP versions, blueprints, and debugging (Xdebug)."4compatibility: "Targets WordPress 6.9+ (PHP 7.2.24+). Playground CLI requires Node.js 20.18+; runs WP in WebAssembly with SQLite."5---6 7# WordPress Playground8 9## When to use10 11- Spin up a disposable WordPress to test a plugin/theme without full stack setup.12- Run or iterate on Playground Blueprints (JSON) locally.13- Build a reproducible snapshot of a site for sharing or CI.14- Switch WP/PHP versions quickly to reproduce issues.15- Debug plugin/theme code with Xdebug in an isolated Playground.16 17## Inputs required18 19- Host machine readiness: Node.js ≥ 20.18, `npm`/`npx` available.20- Project path to mount (`--auto-mount` or explicit mount mapping).21- Desired WP version/PHP version (optional; defaults to latest WP, PHP 8.3).22- Blueprint location/URL if running a blueprint.23- Port preference if 9400 conflicts.24- Whether Xdebug is needed.25 26## Procedure27 28### 0) Guardrails29 30- Playground instances are ephemeral and SQLite-backed; **never** point at production data.31- Confirm Node ≥ 20.18 (`node -v`) before running CLI.32- If mounting local code, ensure it is clean of secrets; Playground copies files into an in-memory FS.33 34### 1) Quick local spin-up (auto-mount)35 36```bash37cd <plugin-or-theme-root>38npx @wp-playground/cli@latest server --auto-mount39```40- Opens on http://localhost:9400 by default. Auto-detects plugin/theme and installs it.41- Add `--wp=<version>` / `--php=<version>` as needed.42- For classic full installs already present, add `--skip-wordpress-setup` and mount the whole tree.43 44### 2) Manual mounts or multiple mounts45 46- Use `--mount=/host/path:/vfs/path` (repeatable) when auto-mount is insufficient (multi-plugin, mu-plugins, custom content).47- Mount before install with `--mount-before-install` for bootstrapping installer flows.48- Reference: `references/cli-commands.md`49 50### 3) Run a Blueprint (no server needed)51 52```bash53npx @wp-playground/cli@latest run-blueprint --blueprint=<file-or-url>54```55- Use for scripted setup/CI validation. Supports remote URLs and local files.56- Allow bundled assets in local blueprints with `--blueprint-may-read-adjacent-files` when required.57- See `references/blueprints.md` for structure and common flags.58 59### 4) Build a snapshot for sharing60 61```bash62npx @wp-playground/cli@latest build-snapshot --blueprint=<file> --outfile=./site.zip63```64- Produces a ZIP you can load in Playground or attach to bug reports.65 66### 5) Debugging with Xdebug67 68- Start with `--xdebug` (or `--enable-xdebug` depending on CLI release) to expose an IDE key, then connect VS Code/PhpStorm to the host/port shown in CLI output.69- Combine with `--auto-mount` for plugin/theme debugging.70- Checklist: `references/debugging.md`71 72### 6) Version switching73 74- Use `--wp=` to pin WP (e.g., 6.9.0) and `--php=` to test compatibility.75- If feature depends on Gutenberg trunk, prefer the latest WP release plus plugin if available; Playground images track stable WP plus bundled Gutenberg.76 77### 7) Browser-only workflows (no CLI)78 79- Launch quick previews with URL fragments or query params:80  - Fragment: `https://playground.wordpress.net/#<base64-or-json-blueprint>`81  - Query: `https://playground.wordpress.net/?blueprint-url=<public-url-or-zip>`82- Use the live Blueprint Editor (playground.wordpress.net) to author blueprints with schema help; paste JSON and copy a shareable link.83 84## Verification85 86- Verify mounted code is active (plugin listed/active; theme selected).87- For blueprints/snapshots, re-run with `--verbosity=debug` to confirm steps executed.88- Run targeted smoke (e.g., `wp plugin list` inside Playground shell via browser terminal if exposed) or UI click-path.89 90## Failure modes / debugging91 92- **CLI exits complaining about Node**: upgrade to ≥ 20.18.93- **Mount not applied**: check path, use absolute path, add `--verbosity=debug`.94- **Blueprint cannot read local assets**: add `--blueprint-may-read-adjacent-files`.95- **Port already used**: `--port=<free-port>`.96- **Slow/locked UI**: disable `--experimental-multi-worker` if enabled; or enable it to improve throughput on CPU-bound runs.97 98## Escalation99 100- If PHP extensions or native DB access are required, Playground may be unsuitable; fall back to full WP stack or wp-env/Docker.101- For browser-only embedding or VS Code extension specifics, consult the upstream docs: https://wordpress.github.io/wordpress-playground/