# Every tool. Seven ways in.

> Royal MCP has 7 ways to connect AI to WordPress: native /mcp endpoint, WP 6.9 Abilities API, MCP Adapter, WebMCP, REST API, and .mcpb Claude Desktop bundle.

- Canonical: <https://royalplugins.com/royal-mcp/features/connect/>
- Last updated: 2026-10-21
- HTML version: <https://royalplugins.com/royal-mcp/features/connect/>

---

- [Overview](https://royalplugins.com/royal-mcp/)
- [Features](https://royalplugins.com/royal-mcp/features/connect/)

  [Ways to connect](https://royalplugins.com/royal-mcp/features/connect/)
  [Works with other MCP plugins NEW](https://royalplugins.com/royal-mcp/features/works-with-other-mcp-plugins/)
  [Agent Ready NEW](https://royalplugins.com/royal-mcp/features/agent-ready/)
  [Safety and Recovery NEW](https://royalplugins.com/support/royal-mcp/safety-and-recovery/)
- [Getting Started](https://royalplugins.com/royal-mcp/connect-claude/)

  [How It Works](https://royalplugins.com/royal-mcp/how-it-works/)
  [WordPress MCP Guide NEW](https://royalplugins.com/royal-mcp/wordpress-mcp/)
  [Connect Claude](https://royalplugins.com/royal-mcp/connect-claude/)
  [Connect ChatGPT](https://royalplugins.com/royal-mcp/connect-chatgpt/)
  [Editing Elementor with Claude](https://royalplugins.com/blog/editing-elementor-with-claude-four-workflows/)
- [Troubleshooting](https://royalplugins.com/support/royal-mcp/troubleshooting-start-here/)

  [Start Here — Quick Checklist](https://royalplugins.com/support/royal-mcp/troubleshooting-start-here/)
  [Diagnose with curl](https://royalplugins.com/support/royal-mcp/diagnose-mcp-with-curl/)
  [Common Patterns](https://royalplugins.com/support/royal-mcp/#troubleshooting)
- [Developers](https://royalplugins.com/support/royal-mcp/add-your-plugin-tools/)

  [Add your plugin’s tools](https://royalplugins.com/support/royal-mcp/add-your-plugin-tools/)
  [Shape replies with filters](https://royalplugins.com/support/royal-mcp/exposing-customer-email-via-filter/)
  [WP-CLI commands](https://royalplugins.com/support/royal-mcp/wp-cli-commands/)
  [GitHub repository](https://github.com/royalplugins/royal-mcp)
- [Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/royal-mcp/)
- [All Docs](https://royalplugins.com/support/royal-mcp/)

Overview
Features — Ways to connect
— Works with other MCP plugins (NEW)
— Agent Ready (NEW)
— Safety and Recovery (NEW)
Getting Started — How It Works
Getting Started — Connect Claude
— WordPress MCP Guide (NEW)
— Connect ChatGPT
— Editing Elementor with Claude
Troubleshooting — Start Here
— Diagnose with curl
— Common Patterns
Developers — Add your plugin’s tools
— Shape replies with filters
— WP-CLI commands
— GitHub repository
Support (wp.org Forum)
All Docs

Most WordPress MCP plugins ship one endpoint, one transport and one auth pattern. Royal MCP registers all 250+ of its tools through **seven distinct connection paths**: native MCP endpoint, short-alias route, WordPress 6.9 Abilities API, official WordPress MCP Adapter, WebMCP browser bridge, REST API, and a one-click Claude Desktop bundle. Same tools, whichever surface your AI stack already speaks.

By Jameson · Founder & Lead Developer

[Get Royal MCP](https://wordpress.org/plugins/royal-mcp/)

Seven paths, one plugin

Native `/mcp` endpoint

`/mcp` short-alias

WP 6.9 Abilities API

MCP Adapter

WebMCP browser bridge

REST API subset

`.mcpb` Claude Desktop bundle

Overview

## Why Royal MCP ships seven paths, not one

The MCP ecosystem is fragmenting. Every AI client speaks a different transport. WordPress core is building its own layer. The WordPress project ships an official MCP adapter. Browsers are getting the WebMCP standard. Some integrations just need plain REST. Royal MCP registers every tool once and exposes it through all of it.

Most WordPress MCP plugins pick one transport and one auth pattern and ask you to fit your stack around it. That works fine when your stack matches, and it does not work at all when it does not. When your AI client changes, or your host changes, or WordPress core changes, or a new standard ships, you are stuck.

Royal MCP takes the opposite approach. All 250+ tools register once through a single internal registry, then expose the same tools through every transport that WordPress AI integration is likely to touch: the canonical MCP endpoint, a short-alias route for hosts that trip on the `/wp-json/` prefix, WordPress 6.9's core Abilities API, the official WordPress MCP Adapter, the WebMCP browser-agent standard, a REST API subset for the most common content operations, and a `.mcpb` bundle for one-click Claude Desktop install.

Whichever way your AI stack evolves, the tools stay reachable. Add a new client, switch hosts, change WordPress versions, ship a new WebMCP bridge, the tools are already there. Fully backwards compatible with every existing setup.

MCP protocol paths

## Five ways your AI client can reach the same tools

Every MCP client speaks JSON-RPC to some endpoint. The question is which endpoint your specific client is happiest against. Royal MCP registers the same tools at all five.

01 · CANONICAL

### Native `/wp-json/royal-mcp/v1/mcp`

Direct JSON-RPC over HTTP. Multi-version protocol negotiation covers MCP spec revisions 2024-11-05, 2025-06-18, 2025-11-25, and 2026-07-28. OAuth 2.1 Bearer authentication with Dynamic Client Registration. Used by Claude Desktop, ChatGPT connectors, Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Code CLI, and the Anthropic SDK. The path most WordPress hosts, WAFs, and CDN cache rules already know how to allowlist.

02 · NEW IN 1.5.1

### `/mcp` short-alias route

Same endpoint, cleaner URL. Some OAuth clients trip on the `/wp-json/` prefix during callback redirects, and some CDN cache-rule wizards get confused by the deep path. Advertised as the resource identifier in OAuth Protected Resource metadata. If OAuth callbacks silently 403 on your host, try this alias instead of the canonical URL.

03 · WP CORE

### WordPress 6.9 Abilities API

Every Royal MCP tool auto-registers with WordPress core's Abilities Registry. When WordPress 6.9 is active (or the WP Feature Notification API backport plugin), third-party MCP servers can enumerate all 250+ Royal MCP tools through the standard WP core API. Positions Royal MCP alongside WordPress core's own AI-integration direction rather than as a parallel stack.

04 · SHARED SURFACE

### official WordPress MCP Adapter

The WordPress project ships the official MCP Adapter plugin that publishes a shared MCP endpoint sourced from the Abilities API. When both plugins are active, Royal MCP's tools appear at the Adapter's endpoint alongside anything else registered. Site owners already running the Adapter for other integrations get Royal MCP's 250+ tools for free.

05 · NEW IN 1.5.1 · BROWSER PATH

### WebMCP browser bridge

Browser-based AI agents can call Royal MCP tools using the visitor's own WordPress session (cookie authentication plus WordPress nonce). [Cloudflare's WebMCP bridge](https://blog.cloudflare.com/webmcp/) is one shipping implementation; more bridges are expected. Off by default with one toggle in Royal MCP settings. Zero change to the OAuth Bearer path when enabled.

[Deep-dive on the Agent Ready page](https://royalplugins.com/royal-mcp/features/agent-ready/)

Beyond MCP

## Two more paths for integrations that aren't AI clients

Sometimes you don't want a full MCP client. A REST endpoint for a Bash script, or a one-click install file for Claude Desktop.

06 · NON-MCP

### REST API subset

13 REST endpoints under `/wp-json/royal-mcp/v1/`: posts, pages, media, site info, search, plus WooCommerce product attributes (global + per-product) and variations. Auth uses standard WordPress REST auth (application passwords, or cookie for logged-in users). Use case: custom scripts, WP-Cron callbacks, and third-party integrations that don't want to run a full MCP client. Not a full CRUD surface for every one of the 250+ MCP tools — for that, use one of the five MCP paths above. This is a convenience layer for the operations that get invoked most often outside the AI-client context.

07 · ONE-CLICK INSTALL

### `.mcpb` bundle for Claude Desktop

`.mcpb` (MCP Bundle) is an [open-source Anthropic bundle format](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/mcpb) for portable local MCP servers — a ZIP archive with a `manifest.json` that Claude Desktop knows how to install with a double-click. Royal MCP is a standard MCP server, so it can be packaged into a `.mcpb` the same way any MCP server can, using the public [mcpb toolchain](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/mcpb). The format supersedes the older `.dxt` Desktop Extensions and works across every MCP-compatible desktop app, not just Claude.

Which path is right for you

## Match the path to your client

Same tools, whichever path. Pick based on which client you're integrating with and whether your host has OAuth quirks.

| If you're on… | Start with |
| --- | --- |
| **Claude Desktop** | Use the connector wizard from the Royal MCP admin help panel. Or package Royal MCP as a `.mcpb` bundle with the [public mcpb toolchain](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/mcpb) for double-click install. |
| **ChatGPT connectors** | Add as a Custom App in Developer Mode using the `/mcp` short-alias URL. |
| **Cursor 0.45+ or Windsurf** | Paste the canonical `/wp-json/royal-mcp/v1/mcp` URL. Streamable HTTP transport works natively. |
| **Claude Code CLI, Anthropic SDK** | Same canonical `/wp-json/royal-mcp/v1/mcp` URL. OAuth 2.1 Bearer authentication. |
| **OAuth callbacks silently fail on your host** | Switch to the `/mcp` short-alias URL. Some WAF and CDN cache rules trip on the deep `/wp-json/` path. |
| **The official WordPress MCP Adapter is already installed** | Royal MCP tools auto-appear at the Adapter's endpoint via the Abilities API bridge. No extra setup. |
| **Custom script, WP-Cron, or third-party integration** | REST API subset at `/wp-json/royal-mcp/v1/{posts,pages,media,site,search}` (plus WooCommerce product attributes + variations) with WordPress application passwords. |
| **Browser-based AI agent (Cloudflare WebMCP bridge)** | Enable WebMCP in Royal MCP settings. Cookie + nonce auth kicks in for browser agents on the same `/mcp` endpoint. |

Verify

## Test your connection in 4 steps

Whichever path you pick, the verify pattern is the same shape. Test with curl before adding the URL to an AI client that will retry silently and eat the useful error message.

### Install Royal MCP

Install from **WP Admin → Plugins → Add New**. Free from wp.org. All 7 paths activate at install.

### Pick a path

Use the decision table above to match your AI client or integration to one of the 7 paths.

### Curl the endpoint

Hit the endpoint directly with `curl -X POST` and an `initialize` JSON-RPC payload. Any error surfaces immediately.

### Wire the client

With curl passing, paste the URL into your AI client. Full curl playbook lives in the [Diagnose with curl support doc](https://royalplugins.com/support/royal-mcp/diagnose-mcp-with-curl/).

FAQ

## Common questions

The MCP ecosystem is fragmenting. Different AI clients speak different transports, WordPress core is building its own Abilities API, the WordPress project ships the official MCP Adapter, browsers are getting the WebMCP standard, and some integrations just need a plain REST endpoint. Most WordPress MCP plugins ship one path and ask you to fit your stack around it. Royal MCP registers every one of its 250+ tools through seven distinct paths so whichever way your AI stack evolves, the tools stay reachable. Same tools, whichever surface your client already speaks.

**Claude Desktop:** use the connector wizard from the Royal MCP admin help panel, or package Royal MCP as a `.mcpb` bundle using the public [mcpb toolchain](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/mcpb) for double-click install. **ChatGPT:** add Royal MCP as a Custom App in ChatGPT Developer Mode using the `/mcp` short-alias URL. **Cursor 0.45+:** paste the `/wp-json/royal-mcp/v1/mcp` URL — streamable HTTP transport works natively. Windsurf, Claude Code CLI, and the Anthropic SDK all speak the same native endpoint. Every path uses OAuth 2.1 Bearer tokens with scoped permissions.

Royal MCP 1.5.1 added `yoursite.com/mcp` as an alias for the canonical `yoursite.com/wp-json/royal-mcp/v1/mcp` endpoint. Both accept the same requests and behave identically. The short alias exists because some OAuth clients trip on the `/wp-json/` prefix during callback redirects, and some CDN cache-rule wizards get confused by the deep path. If your MCP client is happy with the full canonical URL, use it. If OAuth callbacks silently fail on your host, try the `/mcp` alias instead.

Yes, because they solve different problems. The MCP Adapter is a shared MCP endpoint that surfaces any tool registered through WordPress core's Abilities API. Royal MCP registers all 250+ of its tools with the Abilities API, so when both plugins are active, Royal MCP's tools appear at the MCP Adapter's endpoint alongside anything else that's registered. You get the tools either way. If you only run one, run Royal MCP: it provides the tools. The Adapter is a distribution channel.

Not much you can't do with MCP: the REST API is a convenience layer for custom scripts and WordPress cron jobs that don't want to run a full MCP client. It covers the most common WordPress operations: posts, pages, media, site info, search, plus WooCommerce product attributes and variations (no full product CRUD via REST — use MCP for that). Auth uses standard WordPress REST auth (application passwords or cookie for logged-in users). If your integration is an AI client, use MCP. If it's a Bash script or a WP-Cron callback, REST is easier.

No. WebMCP is a second auth path (cookie + WordPress nonce for browser agents) alongside the existing OAuth Bearer path, not a replacement. Every OAuth client: Claude Desktop, ChatGPT connectors, Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Code CLI, mcp-remote, Anthropic SDK: continues working exactly as it did in Royal MCP 1.4.x. WebMCP is off by default; one toggle in Royal MCP settings turns it on. Fully backwards compatible.

## Connect any AI to your WordPress site today

Royal MCP is free from the WordPress.org plugin directory. Install, activate, and all seven connection paths go live. Whichever AI client you use now, plus whichever ones you'll want next, the tools are already reachable.

[Get Royal MCP](https://wordpress.org/plugins/royal-mcp/)