[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #41783: allow loading wp-config.php (values) without DB bootstrap

[WordPress Trac]

#41783: allow loading wp-config.php (values) without DB bootstrap
----------------------------+-----------------------------
 Reporter:  drzraf          |      Owner:
     Type:  enhancement     |     Status:  new
 Priority:  normal          |  Milestone:  Awaiting Review
Component:  Bootstrap/Load  |    Version:  4.8.1
 Severity:  normal          |   Keywords:
  Focuses:                  |
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 Directly related issue: [https://github.com/wp-cli/extension-
 command/issues/26 wp-cli plugin download command]

 ''wp-config.php'' is a fundamental and unique source of information about
 the WP instance. It contains information about database, but some others
 about languages/paths/...

 In some case we may want to provide preprovisionned WP instance but also
 about the to-be-instanciated installation: filesystem/plugin/themes/... to
 be provided in the filesystem *before* WP got installed).
 This may be the case when a team share a common WP filesystem image /
 Docker image / ...

 External tool (ex `wp-cli`) may benefit from loading not only the WP-core
 helpers (like, eg, `plugins_api()`), but also to know about some constants
 inside ''wp-config.php'' although DB is not yet available.

 An issue is that currently, loading ''wp-config.php'' forcefully attempt a
 DB connexion. This happens via the unconditional call to
 `wp_set_wpdb_vars()` inside ''wp-settings.php''

 We rather should provide a mechanism to optionally disable such a
 behaviour.
 There already exist a '''SHORTINIT''' define. Could we introduce another
 one that may allow to load `wp-config.php` in a database-less environment?


 Indirectly related: [https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/41710 WP_*
 configuration constants from the environment]

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/41783>
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