Why Use SSH
SSH gives you a secure command line on your hosting account. Tasks that take many clicks in a control panel, such as unzipping a large backup, searching thousands of files or bulk-editing a database, finish in seconds at the shell. For WordPress users, SSH also unlocks WP-CLI, the official command line tool that manages WordPress without opening the admin dashboard.
Enabling and Connecting
- Check that your plan includes shell access; our Premium Cloud Linux plans support it, and support can enable it on request.
- Generate an SSH key pair on your computer and add the public key in the control panel, or use your account password if keys are not yet set up.
- Connect from Windows using PowerShell or PuTTY, or from Mac and Linux using the terminal, with the host, port and username shown in your control panel.
Useful WP-CLI Commands
wp core update— update WordPress core safely.wp plugin list— see every plugin with its version and status.wp plugin update --all— update all plugins in one command.wp search-replace old.in new.in— fix URLs after moving a site, correctly handling serialised data.wp db export— take a quick database backup before risky changes.wp user update admin --user_pass=NewStrongPass— reset a locked-out admin password.
Safety Tips
Always back up before running bulk commands; wp db export takes seconds and can save your week. Prefer SSH keys over passwords and never share your private key. Avoid running commands copied from unknown forums without understanding them. Shared hosting shells are restricted for security, so some system commands are unavailable by design; if you need full root access, consider a VPS. Our 24/7 support team can walk you through your first SSH session from app.techguru.co.in.
