wpconvert

wpconvert (CLI)

Convert a website or codebase folder into a WordPress theme without leaving your terminal. The CLI wraps the same conversion engine and credit system as the WPConvert dashboard.

Requires Node.js >= 18.

Install

npm install -g wpconvert

Authenticate

Create an API key in your WPConvert dashboard (Settings → API & CLI), then:

wpconvert login            # paste the key (input hidden); stored at ~/.wpconvert/config.json (0600)
# or, for CI:
export WPCONVERT_API_KEY=wpc_live_xxx

API keys require a Pro/Agency plan or available PAYG credits for full downloadable conversions. Free verified accounts may also create preview-only keys (up to 3 lifetime Playground previews — no theme ZIP download) when the server has developer previews enabled.

Convert a folder

cd your-project
wpconvert convert . --type theme

• Finds the right folder automatically. Run it from your project folder and the CLI figures out what to package:
  • index.html in the folder → uses it as-is (plain HTML sites, most AI exports).
  • A build-output folder with an index.html (dist/, build/, out/, public/, …) → uses that and tells you.
  • An un-built framework project (React/Vite/Next/Astro/…) → stops and tells you to npm run build first.
  • Override anytime with --root <dir> (skips detection).
• Smart-zips the folder for you. By default it excludes node_modules, .git, build output, OS junk, and — for safety — secrets (.env, *.pem, *.key, id_rsa*, .npmrc, .ssh/, credentials*.json). Your .gitignore is honored. Symlinks are never followed.
• Uploads small zips via multipart; large zips go directly to storage (up to your plan ceiling).
• Polls until done, then downloads the theme .zip into the current directory (paid conversions only; preview-only jobs open Playground instead).

Where do I run it?

Your project	Command
Plain HTML (has index.html) — most AI exports, Framer/Webflow	wpconvert convert .
React/Vite/Next/Astro (Lovable, Bolt, v0, Replit, Cursor…)	npm run build, then wpconvert convert .
Not sure	wpconvert convert . --dry-run (detects it or tells you to build)

Useful flags

wpconvert convert ./my-site --dry-run            # list what would be uploaded; no upload, no credit
wpconvert convert ./repo --root dist             # force a subdirectory; skip auto-detection
wpconvert convert ./site --max-asset-size 25     # drop individual files > 25MB (they won't render)
wpconvert convert ./site --ignore "*.psd" --ignore "design/**"
wpconvert convert ./site --include-env           # DANGER: uploads .env/secret files
wpconvert convert ./site --no-download           # don't auto-download on success

Preview in WordPress Playground

Preview a finished conversion in a live, in-browser WordPress (no local install):

wpconvert preview <jobId>          # print a preview URL
wpconvert preview <jobId> --open   # also open it in your default browser

The URL boots WordPress Playground with your theme installed and activated — the same preview you get in the dashboard. Sessions expire after about ten minutes and are use-limited.

Other commands

wpconvert status <jobId>      # check a job's status
wpconvert download <jobId>    # download a completed conversion (paid / full jobs only)
wpconvert preview <jobId>     # preview the theme in WordPress Playground
wpconvert quota               # show plan, usage, and next-conversion capabilities
wpconvert quota --json        # print the complete backend quota JSON (for scripts/agents)

Quota and conversion preflight

wpconvert quota shows what the next developer conversion will do, using the server’s authoritative capabilities object (when present):

• Effective mode (full or preview_only)
• Whether a conversion can start
• What entitlement it would consume
• Remaining subscription / PAYG / Starter / free-preview usage
• Whether the next result is downloadable
• A recommended next action when blocked

wpconvert quota --json prints the complete backend response as pretty-printed JSON on stdout (no banners or colors). On failure, the error goes to stderr and stdout stays empty.

Real wpconvert convert commands call quota once before building the ZIP (after --dry-run exits). Behavior:

Quota / capability result	CLI behavior
capabilities.conversion.can_start === true	Continues; prints a compact mode/uses/download summary
can_start === false	Stops before ZIP/upload; exit code 3
No capabilities (older API)	Legacy path — continues; server enforces at submit
Network / timeout / 5xx on quota	Warns and continues; server remains authoritative
Auth failure on quota	Stops; exit code 1

--dry-run skips the quota check entirely (local-only).

Submit-time rate limits, in-flight caps, and worker errors are not modeled by preflight — they remain server errors (typically exit 1).

Exit codes

Code	Meaning
0	Success
1	Generic failure (auth, validation, network, submit-time errors)
3	Authenticated capability response explicitly blocks conversion (can_start: false)

Notes & safety

• Secrets: always run --dry-run first if you're unsure what will be uploaded. The secret denylist is on by default; --include-env is the only way to include those files.
• Preview links are capability URLs: anyone with a wpconvert preview URL can view the theme until the session expires. Avoid printing them in shared CI logs, and prefer omitting --open in headless environments.

Free developer previews (preview-only)

When enabled on the server, free verified accounts can create API keys that run preview-only conversions — WordPress Playground preview, no theme ZIP download. Try the CLI/MCP workflow before upgrading.

• 3 lifetime preview-only conversions per account (separate from the dashboard free preview).
• 1 concurrent job; stricter submit rate limits than paid keys.
• Full exports require PRO, Agency, or PAYG credits — a one-time Starter unlock does not grant programmatic download access.
• Preview-only jobs are never retroactively downloadable; after upgrading, re-run the conversion to get a ZIP.

On success, wpconvert convert automatically creates a Playground preview URL. Preview-only jobs auto-open your browser by default; paid users get the link only (pass --open to launch). Use --no-open in CI/headless, or --no-preview to skip Playground entirely.

Paid conversions use 1 credit each (Agency is unlimited up to its soft cap), exactly like the web app. Failed conversions are refunded.

• Retries: the CLI never auto-retries a submit after it's been sent (so you're never double-charged). The large-upload PUT step is idempotent and safe to retry.
• URL conversion is not available yet; point the CLI at a folder.

Environment variables

Variable	Purpose
WPCONVERT_API_KEY	API key (overrides the stored config).
WPCONVERT_API_BASE	Override the API base URL (advanced/testing).