Publish From WordPress

ZeroPress Static is a WordPress plugin for publishing your content as a ZeroPress static site. Keep writing and editing in WordPress; use the plugin to prepare the content and settings for a separate build and hosting workflow.

You can start with the static site at a separate address while your current WordPress site continues serving readers. Review the result before deciding whether to move your main site address. This workflow uses your existing WordPress installation as the editing environment.

Two Files Drive The Build

The plugin generates two files at the root of your publishing repository:

File	Contents
wordpress-export.xml	Published posts and pages, used categories and tags, public author information, selected classic menus, and media references
wxr-import-base.json	Site settings, menu assignments, search, feeds, footer information, newsletter links, custom code, and optional WordPress comments

WXR Starter reads these files when you run npm run build. It uses @zeropress/wxr-import to produce zeropress-preview-data.json, then @zeropress/build applies a theme and writes the static site to dist/.

GitHub publishing replaces both files in one commit, giving each build a versioned copy of the content and settings. The generated HTML can be served independently of WordPress’s page rendering. Media and optional comments remain available through their configured URLs.

Install And Publish

The plugin requires WordPress 6.8+, PHP 8.2+, and a single-site installation.

1. Create the site repository. Follow the WXR Starter setup. Its Deploy to Cloudflare button creates a repository and a sample deployment. Keep wordpress-export.xml and wxr-import-base.json at the root of the existing branch you will publish to. You can also build locally and serve dist/ on another static host.
2. Install the plugin. Download the installation ZIP named zeropress-static-v<version>.zip from GitHub Releases. In WordPress, open Plugins → Add New Plugin → Upload Plugin, install the ZIP, and activate it.
3. Save your site settings. Open ZeroPress → Settings. The plugin reads the title, description, language, timezone, posts per page, and site icon from WordPress. Set the static site URL, choose menus, and configure the features you want. Search-engine crawling and WordPress comments start off.
4. Configure GitHub publishing. Save the repository URL and existing branch under GitHub publishing. Create a fine-grained token using Only select repositories, select only this publishing repository, and grant Contents: Read and write. Register the token and test the connection.
5. Prepare and publish. Open ZeroPress → Publish, select Prepare publishing data, and review the result. Confirm Publish to GitHub to update both files. Check your connected build service for the static site’s build and deployment result.

Publishing is manual: editing or publishing a post in WordPress does not by itself update the static site. Repeat the plugin’s prepare-and-publish step when you want to publish your changes. Manage the two generated files through the plugin; subsequent publications replace direct edits to them.

Without a GitHub connection, you can prepare and download both files, place them in a WXR starter checkout, and build it yourself.

Media And Comments

Media URLs keep their existing addresses by default. Leave those addresses accessible to readers. If your media is served elsewhere, configure Media URL replacements before publishing. The rules rewrite exported URLs, including the site icon; media files are served from the locations you provide. Ordinary links inside article content retain their original addresses.

WordPress comment display and writing are separate options, both off by default. You can display existing comments while keeping writing disabled. Enabled writing uses the plugin’s verification settings and WordPress’s existing comment policies. The static site URL is required for writing, and visitors must be able to reach the configured WordPress REST API.

The WordPress admin can remain private while the required media and comment API paths are accessible to visitors. See the plugin’s API access guide for the exact paths and request methods. This WordPress publishing path uses WordPress for comments; it does not require ZeroPress Edge.

Content Support

The plugin exports published posts and pages without passwords, saved HTML, static block markup, and selected classic menus. WordPress shortcodes, dynamic blocks, and page builders are not executed. Custom post types and block navigation are not converted. Check representative posts on your trial site before using it as your readers’ main destination.

For all settings and supported content, see the ZeroPress Static usage guide. For a one-time trial using WordPress’s built-in XML exporter, see Try WordPress Content. To change the static site’s layout and styles, follow Customize a Theme.