Shim MCP is a self-contained MCP (Model Context Protocol) server plugin for WordPress. It provides 56 abilities that let any MCP-compatible AI client manage your WordPress site -- posts, pages, media, users, plugins, menus, widgets, comments, options, and system settings. The MCP server and every ability ship in the one plugin, so no companion plugins are required.<\/p>\n\n
The MCP protocol layer is derived from the WordPress project's own MCP Adapter (GPL-2.0), and abilities are registered through WordPress's Abilities API, which core ships from 6.9. See the Credits section below.<\/p>\n\n
Key features:<\/p>\n\n
Shim MCP builds its MCP protocol layer on two GPL-2.0 projects published by the WordPress project:<\/p>\n\n
includes\/Server\/<\/code> (transport, JSON-RPC routing, session management, tools\/resources\/prompts handlers, schema transformation, error and observability infrastructure) is derived from it.<\/li>\n- WordPress Abilities API<\/a> - every ability is registered through this core API, which WordPress ships from 6.9.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
The 56 abilities, the admin dashboard, the WP-CLI stdio bridge and the packaging are original to this plugin. Full breakdown in CREDITS.md.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n- Upload the plugin zip file via Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin, or clone the repository into
wp-content\/plugins\/shim-mcp\/<\/code>.<\/li>\n- Activate the plugin through the Plugins menu.<\/li>\n
- Go to Tools > Shim MCP, generate an API key, and copy the config snippet into your AI client.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
\nWhat is MCP?<\/h3><\/dt>\nMCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that allows AI clients like Claude to interact with external systems through a structured protocol. It defines how AI tools discover and use capabilities (called \"abilities\" in WordPress) provided by a server.<\/p><\/dd>\n
Do I need MCP Adapter or the Abilities API installed alongside this?<\/h3><\/dt>\nNo. Shim MCP is self-contained: it bundles its own MCP server, and the Abilities API it registers against is part of WordPress from 6.9 onwards. Nothing else is required.<\/p><\/dd>\n
Can it edit wp-config.php?<\/h3><\/dt>\nOnly if you let it. The ability that rewrites the WP_DEBUG constants is switched off until you add define( 'SHIM_MCP_ALLOW_CONFIG_WRITES', true );<\/code> to wp-config.php yourself. Without that line the ability refuses, and it is refused again if DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT or DISALLOW_FILE_MODS is set, if the file is not writable, or if the rewritten contents fail a sanity check.<\/p><\/dd>\nIt warns me about another MCP plugin. Why?<\/h3><\/dt>\nTwo MCP server plugins running at once can register competing abilities and endpoints, which produces confusing results for the connected AI client. If Shim MCP detects another MCP server or a standalone Abilities API plugin, it shows a notice suggesting you run only one. This is a compatibility warning, not a judgement about the other plugin.<\/p><\/dd>\n
What AI clients are supported?<\/h3><\/dt>\nAny MCP-compatible client works. The admin dashboard provides ready-made config snippets for Claude Code, Claude Desktop, and Cursor.<\/p><\/dd>\n
Do I need HTTPS?<\/h3><\/dt>\nHTTPS is strongly recommended for production use since API credentials are transmitted with each request. The plugin will work over HTTP for local development.<\/p><\/dd>\n
What WordPress capabilities are required?<\/h3><\/dt>\nDifferent abilities require different WordPress capabilities. For example, content abilities require edit_posts<\/code>, user abilities require list_users<\/code> or edit_users<\/code>, and system abilities require manage_options<\/code>. See the full abilities reference in docs\/ABILITIES.md.<\/p><\/dd>\n\n<\/dl>\n\n\n1.0.2<\/h4>\n\n\n- The dashboard's endpoint probe is labelled and reported honestly: it confirms the REST route is reachable and protected, not that an exported client configuration can authenticate. A 401 or 403 response is never shown as \"Connected\".<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
1.0.1<\/h4>\n\n\n- Option abilities refuse to read or write options whose names look like stored credentials, and the option-name search no longer returns values at all<\/li>\n
- Core admin files are loaded only where a function from them is used<\/li>\n
- Removed the redirect to the settings page after activation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
1.0.0<\/h4>\n\n\n- Initial release with 56 WordPress abilities<\/li>\n
- Admin dashboard with API key generation<\/li>\n
- Config export for Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor<\/li>\n
- Conflict detection for legacy MCP plugins<\/li>\n
- SSE transport with MCP protocol v2025-06-18<\/li>\n<\/ul>","raw_excerpt":"Connect WordPress to AI in one click. Full MCP server with 56 abilities.","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin\/362342","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/plugin"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=362342"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wporg\/v1\/users\/justadityaraj"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=362342"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"plugin_section","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin_section?post=362342"},{"taxonomy":"plugin_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin_tags?post=362342"},{"taxonomy":"plugin_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin_category?post=362342"},{"taxonomy":"plugin_contributors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin_contributors?post=362342"},{"taxonomy":"plugin_business_model","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin_business_model?post=362342"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}