Import a WordPress site

WordPress import creates Markdown drafts for review. It does not modify the source WordPress site. Choose a Viking theme and review imported drafts before publishing, and arrange redirects as part of your domain cutover. Back up both sites before a migration, and keep the old site available while checking the result.

Choose a source

Open Import WordPress and choose:

• WXR XML: in WordPress, use Tools → Export, download an XML export and upload it to Viking. The file limit is 32 MiB; split larger exports.
• MySQL/MariaDB: ask the source administrator for a SELECT-only account, database host/port/name and table prefix. Viking's CMS server, not your browser, must reach that host. TLS is on by default and verifies certificates. The default port is 3306 and prefix is wp_. Connection details are used for inspection and not saved in page source or public releases.

The importer handles up to 1000 pages/posts per inspection; database inspection reads at most 1000 rows including unpublished entries. Use smaller selections rather than assuming every item in a large site was imported.

Inspect and apply

1. Inspect the source and read warnings. Published posts/pages are selected by default. Include drafts/private entries only if you want them in Viking.
2. Review titles, destination URLs, source statuses and collisions. Edit unsafe or conflicting paths, or unselect items. Existing pages are never overwritten.
3. Enable Copy public images if you want supported content images stored in Viking. Private-network images cannot be copied automatically; upload those manually. Failed copies keep external URLs and report warnings.
4. Choose Import selected drafts. Read created, skipped, failed and image warning results. An interruption may leave a completed subset; retry skips paths already created.
5. Open representative drafts, inspect formatting/links/images and choose a Viking theme. Recreate unsupported dynamic blocks, shortcodes or embeds.
6. Save corrections and publish only after reviewing the entire saved site.

A private/draft WordPress entry included in Viking becomes public on the next publication. Hiding it from the menu does not protect it. Plan this as a posts-and-pages content migration; use a native Viking theme for presentation and retain a WordPress backup for the rest of your source data. Some permalink tokens need manual review; links to omitted pages keep their old addresses. Arrange redirects on the old host separately when changing URLs.

The WordPress reference explains conversion, image-copy protections, database access and import limits.