Automattic / Automattic/studio

Feature Request: Simplified import from a single ZIP (SQL + wp-content)

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Dominant language
TypeScript
Stars
517
Forks
95
Avg merge
1d 23h
Merged PRs (30d)
172

Description

## What

Right now, importing an existing WordPress site into Studio requires a full site structure (core files, wp-config.php, etc.).

I'd like to propose a simplified import flow, similar to what Local (by WP Engine) does: import a single ZIP file that contains just two things:

- A `.sql` file (database dump)
- The `wp-content` folder

Studio would handle everything else automatically from there: scaffold WordPress core, generate a fresh local `wp-config.php`, detect and rewrite the database table prefix from the SQL dump, import the database, and drop in `wp-content` as-is.

## Why

Importing `wp-config.php` straight from production doesn't really make sense in a local dev context — you end up having to rewrite DB credentials, salts, `WP_HOME`/`WP_SITEURL`, debug constants, etc. right after import anyway. Same goes for pulling in full WordPress core files that Studio already provisions itself.

The only things actually needed to reproduce a site locally are the database and wp-content (themes, plugins, uploads). Local already does exactly this: you drop in a ZIP with the SQL dump + wp-content, it auto-detects the table prefix, and spins up a fully working local site in one step. It's a much faster and more reliable workflow, especially for agencies that just need a working local copy of a client's production/staging site from a DB export + wp-content, without reconstructing the whole environment by hand.

## Suggested solution

- Add an "Import from ZIP" option that accepts a single ZIP containing:
- One `.sql` file
- The `wp-content` folder
- Studio detects the table prefix automatically from the SQL dump (like Local does)
- Studio scaffolds WordPress core + generates its own local `wp-config.php` pointing to the new local DB with the detected prefix
- The SQL dump is imported into the new local database
- `wp-content` from the ZIP is used as-is

## Additional context

This would lower the friction for agencies working with client sites where we only have a DB export + wp-content, and specifically don't want (or need) to bring production `wp-config.php` or core files into the local environment.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

The issue does not name specific files, tests, or entry points. Start by tracing Studio's existing site import flow and its database and wp-content handling, then determine how a ZIP containing one SQL file and wp-content can be validated and processed. Done means a local WordPress site is scaffolded with generated configuration, the detected table prefix, imported SQL, and the supplied wp-content.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
electron, typescript, wordpress
Domain
desktop
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Active
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
40/100

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