WordPress MCP: AI Integration Plugin (Migrate to mcp-adapter)

Introduction

wordpress-mcp was a powerful WordPress plugin that implemented the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to expose WordPress functionality through standardized interfaces. It allowed AI models and applications to interact with WordPress sites securely, utilizing multiple transport protocols and enterprise-grade authentication. Key features included dual transport protocols (STDIO and HTTP-based), JWT authentication, an admin interface for token management, and AI-friendly JSON-RPC 2.0 compliant endpoints.

Important Deprecation Notice: This wordpress-mcp repository is now deprecated. As stable releases of mcp-adapter become available, all users are encouraged to migrate to the new mcp-adapter for ongoing development, new features, and support. This shift is also in line with the Abilities API moving into WordPress Core as of version 6.9.

Installation

While migration to mcp-adapter is recommended, for historical reference or specific legacy needs, wordpress-mcp could be installed as follows:

Quick Install

1. Download wordpress-mcp.zip from the releases page.
2. Upload the plugin to your /wp-content/plugins/wordpress-mcp directory.
3. Activate the plugin through the WordPress admin 'Plugins' menu.
4. Navigate to Settings > WordPress MCP to configure.

Composer Install (Development)

cd wp-content/plugins/
git clone https://github.com/Automattic/wordpress-mcp.git
cd wordpress-mcp
composer install --no-dev
npm install && npm run build

Examples

wordpress-mcp facilitated integration with various MCP clients. Here are examples of how clients could be configured:

Claude Desktop Configuration using mcp-wordpress-remote proxy

Add to your Claude Desktop claude_desktop_config.json:

{
	"mcpServers": {
		"wordpress-mcp": {
			"command": "npx",
			"args": [ "-y", "@automattic/mcp-wordpress-remote@latest" ],
			"env": {
				"WP_API_URL": "https://your-site.com/",
				"JWT_TOKEN": "your-jwt-token-here",
				"LOG_FILE": "optional-path-to-log-file"
			}
		}
	}
}

VS Code MCP Extension (Direct Streamable Transport)

Add to your VS Code MCP settings:

{
	"servers": {
		"wordpress-mcp": {
			"type": "http",
			"url": "https://your-site.com/wp-json/wp/v2/wpmcp/streamable",
			"headers": {
				"Authorization": "Bearer your-jwt-token-here"
			}
		}
	}
}

Experimental REST API CRUD Tools

When enabled, wordpress-mcp provided generic tools to interact with any WordPress REST API endpoint, allowing AI agents to discover, inspect, and execute CRUD operations. This functionality respected user capabilities and offered granular control over create, update, and delete operations.

Why use (and why migrate)

wordpress-mcp offered a robust solution for integrating AI with WordPress, providing:

• AI-Friendly APIs: Standardized JSON-RPC 2.0 endpoints for seamless AI interaction.
• Secure Integration: JWT authentication, user capability inheritance, and audit logging ensured secure communication.
• Extensible Architecture: Support for custom tools, resources, and prompts allowed developers to extend functionality.
• Dual Transport Protocols: Flexibility with both STDIO and HTTP-based (Streamable) transports.

Why Migrate to mcp-adapter?

While wordpress-mcp laid the groundwork, the project has evolved. mcp-adapter is now the canonical plugin and Composer package for MCP integration in WordPress. Migrating ensures you benefit from:

• Ongoing Development: Future work, including new features and fixes, will happen exclusively in mcp-adapter.
• Stability and Modernization: mcp-adapter is stable and aligns with the latest developments, including the Abilities API moving into WordPress Core.
• Enhanced Features: mcp-adapter offers continued improvements and better compatibility with modern AI clients and WordPress ecosystems.

Links

• wordpress-mcp GitHub Repository: https://github.com/Automattic/wordpress-mcp
• mcp-adapter GitHub Repository (Recommended Migration Target): https://github.com/WordPress/mcp-adapter
• Abilities API GitHub Repository: https://github.com/WordPress/abilities-api
• Model Context Protocol Official Website: https://modelcontextprotocol.io