In this article, we will be discussing the best practices for running a search and replace on the content in your database. This process can be helpful during migrations or changing the domain of your WordPress install.
- Make a Backup – Search and Replace can get ugly real fast. If you accidentally misspell a word or append too much information for the replacement text, your database can be ruined. A backup will allow you to get back up and running in no time!
- Never use SQL – SQL is the language you can use to alter information in your database. SQL, although very powerful, is not the best tool to use to do a full search and replace. The reason is that SQL can not parse serialized data correctly which WordPress plugins and themes use often.
- Use a WordPress plugin – Several WordPress plugins are available for installation from the WordPress plugin repository. These plugins provide an easy to use interface for performing search and replace actions on your database including modifications to serialized data.