WP: Search and replace in DB programmatically

Is it possible to make a search-replace query on WP programmatically without any other plugins (I already know about “Better search replace” and other ones available, but it’s not the option).

Succinctly, yes – the existence of “Better Search and Replace” is a testament to the possibility.

A search-and-replace by itself is simple – you can make the necessary SQL queries through the WPDB interface. The complexity in writing such a thing from scratch lies in whether or not that operation needs to affect fields which WordPress serializes, as performing a replacement in serialized data without unserializing and reserializing the string or otherwise updating the serialization will invalidate the data.

If using a pre-made plugin is not an option, studying such a plugin’s code to see how they accomplish that feat would be a good move.

Related Posts:

  1. Post meta vs separate database tables
  2. How do I create a custom role capability?
  3. Is it mandatory to use $wpdb->prefix in custom tables
  4. Update Option Stored in Multi-Dimensional Array
  5. Prevent network activation of plugin
  6. Uninstall script for a plugin in Multisite
  7. Default table collation on plugin activation?
  8. Changing Plugin Load Order
  9. What is wrong with using add_option with Multisite instead of add_blog_option in a plugin
  10. Using a database view = evil incarnate?
  11. Writing a plugin that notify my friends of new post that mentions(@) them
  12. Getting wrong relationship value in $args in wp_Query?
  13. WordPress and multithreading
  14. How to Get a List of Sub Blogs without Using get_blog_list()?
  15. Not sure the best way to save custom plugin data
  16. The ideal place for storing persistent PHP objects
  17. What is the correct way for plugins to create tables with special charset/collation considerations?
  18. Cron firing my function everytime wp-admin is visited
  19. Error getting correct blog_id on MU from functions.php
  20. How do I make specific plugin functionality apply to different sites in a network?
  21. What is the added “complexity” of custom tables?
  22. Plugin development with unit tests
  23. How is the data stored in the database?
  24. Formatting of curly brackets array from WP database to get more readable output
  25. How to modify post content before writing to database?
  26. Actions or filters fired when data is saved in a custom table
  27. WordPress multisite apply different options over each site from same plugin
  28. Filters ‘request’ and ‘parse_query’ not firing in sites.php nor link-manager.php
  29. Multisite, sharing content by URL
  30. Only allow plugin to be activated on root site of multisite
  31. Hello dolly type plugin that allows people to add their own
  32. How to use wp_set_password in a plugin?
  33. WordPress Media mime type filter problem 4.0
  34. Sample — test — data for large WordPress install
  35. Custom Plugin Database relations
  36. Is there any reason only 1 (my) IP would be added to this table using $wpdn->insert?
  37. How to store data for posts/pages built with drag-n-drop builder?
  38. Database for development
  39. What is the best way to overwrite /wp-admin/ms-delete-site.php
  40. Is there a naming convention for database tables created by a plugin?
  41. Activation hook not creating table
  42. Is the usage of ON DELETE CASCADE wrong or not allowed on wordpress?
  43. Where should I store global data for my multi-site WordPress plugin?
  44. unable to stop loop when using wp_insert_post with publish_post hook
  45. Customize multisite site creation with user data
  46. Multisite plugin development and wp_enqueue_script
  47. Plugin Uninstall and Deactivate via Options Menu
  48. how to activate plugin network-wide, and save setting across sites
  49. Version upgrade: can my plugin filter the SQL statements issued during a database upgrade?
  50. Saving data from block editor to the database
  51. What for the tables ending with the meta used in database of wordpress?
  52. Sharing a common set of image files for media library, across all sites within multisite
  53. What is difference between blog id and site id?
  54. Creating table with plugin is not working
  55. How to create a Tools menu on the Network Admin dashboard from a plugin
  56. dbDelta() Error – Incorrect index name ” for query ALTER TABLE
  57. Get a custom table to an array
  58. Override the default Add/Edit site forms of the Network Panel in custom plugin
  59. How to set “Site Address (URL)” programmatically on WP multisite?
  60. Update/insert only a column of database table
  61. How to Create database table when Plugin installed/activated, and delete database when Plugin deleted
  62. Subscribe to author?
  63. How to associate an existing user to a site in a multisite setup programmatically
  64. I’m designing a plugin to create database indexes. Suggestions?
  65. WordPress Multisite with Azure B2C redirect_urls after Login
  66. WordPress database error for query INSERT INTO
  67. How to connect to AWS RDS external database (not for the core WordPress db)
  68. How To Change Post Author Default?
  69. How should I store a log for my plugin
  70. How to create database table, add data, update and delete using wpdb via plugins?
  71. Adding (blog-specific) links to “My Sites” admin page
  72. Using WPDB to output raw XML fails because of wp-blog-header.php
  73. Are there any scripts, classes, and/or functions built-in to WP for a plugin to export/import its saved data from wp_options?
  74. Plugin menu addition in multisite
  75. Strange issue saving custom field data for a WooCommerce order
  76. What should happen when a WordPress Plugin is activated across the network (Network Wide Activation)
  77. How to perform a heavy and long process in cron jobs?
  78. Form doesnt save to database
  79. Updating Woocommerce Settings API when WordPress Settings API saved and vise versa
  80. Multiple Plugin best practice in Multisite
  81. Is using custom table to suit business needs instead of transients a big hit to page load speed?
  82. Plugin Development for registered users
  83. Selectively update themes in WordPress multisite
  84. Problem with context in multisite – getting main site data in every blog (get_pages())
  85. Force remove parent theme CSS/JS and call them from Child theme
  86. How can I get a plugin to hook ‘dbdelta_queries’ — a filter used during version update?
  87. Running one-off cron jobs when WP_DISABLE_CRON is true: can I hit /wp-cron.php?
  88. How to create a database table in WordPress using PHP
  89. Leveraging Core Functionality in Icon Upload Plugin [closed]
  90. Can I log the searches that are returning 404 in the DB?
  91. Programmatically creating posts based on external JSON feed (asynchronously)
  92. WordPress database error: [Table ‘bitnami_wordpress.questions’ doesn’t exist]
  93. Making a user platform reachable by a qr code on a pin-back-button [closed]
  94. multiple record insert creating many duplicate records
  95. 2 Domains pointing to SIngle WordPress , issues with links
  96. Custom Plugin Breaks Other Plugin Functions
  97. Custom database table entry edit page
  98. Update Cache on Save Instead of Clearing It?
  99. Images stored from external API not loading
  100. Is there a way to force plugins to use Flyway migrations for database changes?
Hata!: SQLSTATE[HY000] [1045] Access denied for user 'divattrend_liink'@'localhost' (using password: YES)