# Connect Wordpress MCP > Use when the user wants Claude to publish posts, edit pages, or manage a self-hosted WordPress site directly — connecting Claude Code (or any MCP client) to a WordPress blog via an MCP server, especially when "connect Claude to my WordPress/blog", "let Claude publish articles", or "manage my site with AI" comes up. - Skill: `cleudersons/connect-wordpress-mcp` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add cleudersons/connect-wordpress-mcp` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/cleudersons/connect-wordpress-mcp/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: AI & ML - Author: cleudersons (https://skillmd.com/u/cleudersons) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/cleudersons/connect-wordpress-mcp --- # Connecting Claude to a WordPress Site via MCP ## Overview WordPress has no first-party MCP server, but the **EMCP Tools** plugin (free, WordPress.org-style install) turns any self-hosted WP install into one — exposing posts, media, pages, users, plugins/themes, and (if Elementor is installed) full page-building as MCP tools, reachable over HTTP with OAuth. This skill covers the one-time connection; once connected, Claude uses the exposed tools normally. Two sides to this: something a **site owner with wp-admin access** does once in the browser, and something you (the agent) do in a **real interactive terminal** — not a chat window, because the OAuth step needs an interactive picker. ## When to Use - User asks to publish/edit a WordPress site and no WordPress MCP tool is connected yet - "Connect Claude to my blog/WordPress" or similar - NOT for wordpress.com-hosted sites without plugin install access — EMCP Tools needs to be installed as a plugin, which requires a self-hosted (or Business-tier wordpress.com) site ## Steps ### 1. Site owner installs EMCP Tools (wp-admin, in the browser) 1. Download the packaged plugin ZIP from the [EMCP Tools releases page](https://github.com/msrbuilds/elementor-mcp/releases) — the asset named `emcp-tools-X.Y.Z.zip`. **Not** "Source code (zip)" — that's the raw repo, not an installable plugin. 2. `wp-admin → Plugins → Adicionar novo/Add New → Enviar plugin/Upload Plugin` → pick the ZIP → Install → Activate. 3. If a banner says something like "Complete EMCP Tools Activation Now", click it — the plugin isn't fully wired up until that finishes. 4. Open the **EMCP Tools** menu item → **Connection** tab. Note the **Server URL**, shown in the form `https://SITE/wp-json/mcp/emcp-tools-server`. 5. Leave **OAuth sign-in for AI clients** enabled (it's the default) — this lets the agent authenticate by signing in, with no static password/token to copy or store. Destructive operations (delete content, change plugins/themes) default to disabled; leave that off until there's a real need. ### 2. Register the server (agent side) ``` claude mcp add --scope user --transport http https://SITE/wp-json/mcp/emcp-tools-server ``` `--scope user` makes it available in every project, not just the current one. Confirm it was added: ``` claude mcp list ``` It shows up as `! Needs authentication` — expected, next step fixes that. ### 3. Authenticate (must be an interactive terminal — chat UI can't do this) This step needs a real terminal window (PowerShell, Terminal.app, etc.) running `claude` interactively — a non-interactive session (like a chat-only agent surface) can register the server but cannot complete OAuth, since it requires an interactive picker and a browser popup. 1. In that terminal, run `claude`, then type `/mcp` — **wait for the autocomplete suggestion box to appear before pressing Enter.** Typing it and hitting Enter too fast sends `/mcp` as a plain chat message instead of running the command (the agent will just reply conversationally — that's the tell something went wrong). 2. Arrow down to the server's name, Enter. 3. Select **"1. Authenticate"**, Enter. A browser window opens to the site's login page. 4. Sign in and authorize. The browser redirects to a `localhost` URL and may show a **connection error page — this is expected**, not a failure; it's the OAuth loopback redirect completing, and there's nothing listening on that port to serve a nice page. Look for "Authentication successful" on the authorize page itself before the redirect, or just check status in the next step. 5. Back in the terminal, confirm: ``` claude mcp list ``` Now shows `✔ Connected`. ## Common Mistakes | Symptom | Cause | Fix | |---|---|---| | `/mcp` gets a conversational reply instead of a menu | Typed too fast, sent as chat message | Retype, pause until the autocomplete dropdown shows, then Enter | | Terminal closed mid-flow | Accidental close | Reopen, run `claude`, `/mcp` again — the server registration persists, just re-select it and Authenticate again | | Browser shows a connection error after login | Normal OAuth loopback redirect to `localhost` with nothing serving it | Ignore it, go back to the terminal and check `claude mcp list` | | Downloaded the wrong ZIP from GitHub releases | Grabbed "Source code (zip)" instead of the packaged `emcp-tools-X.Y.Z.zip` asset | Re-download the correctly named asset — source-code zips aren't installable plugins | | Still shows `needs authentication` after login | OAuth didn't complete, or session expired | Run `/mcp` → select server → Authenticate again | ## Notes - This works for any MCP-exposing WordPress plugin with a Connection/Server URL screen, not just EMCP Tools specifically — the registration and OAuth steps are the same shape. - If OAuth isn't offered and only a static token/API key is available, treat it like any other secret: don't paste it into chat, register it as a header/env var, and prefer a scoped WordPress user role over the site's main admin account.