What You’ll Learn
- What each API Reference document covers
- When to use REST API vs Abilities API
- Where Application Passwords fit in
- How MCP Server connects to your Dashboard
- When MainWP Control is the better fit for automation
API Reference at a Glance
REST API
MainWP endpoint reference, API key setup, permissions, and request patterns.
Application Passwords
Create, review, and revoke WordPress-level credentials in API Access.
Abilities API
Discoverable ability-based API for AI and automation tooling.
MCP Server
Connect AI tools to MainWP using Model Context Protocol.
MainWP Control
Run MainWP operations from the command line and automation workflows.
Choose the Right Option
| If you need to… | Start here |
|---|---|
| Call MainWP endpoints directly from scripts or services | REST API |
| Create or rotate username/password API credentials | Application Passwords |
| Let tools discover available actions dynamically | Abilities API |
| Integrate AI assistants through MCP | MCP Server |
| Run MainWP tasks from a terminal, script, cron job, or CI/CD pipeline | MainWP Control |
How They Fit Together
- REST API is MainWP’s fixed endpoint interface (
/wp-json/mainwp/v2/). - Application Passwords are WordPress credentials used by tools that authenticate with username/password.
- Abilities API is a discoverable capability layer (
/wp-json/wp-abilities/v1/) where MainWP registers abilities. - MCP Server is an integration layer that uses Application Password authentication to access MainWP through AI tooling.
- MainWP Control is the MainWP CLI for terminal-based and scripted automation using the same Dashboard capabilities.
Related Resources
- REST API - MainWP REST endpoint documentation
- Application Passwords - Credential management in API Access
- Abilities API - Capability-based API reference
- MCP Server - AI integration setup guide
- MainWP Control - CLI overview for automation and scripting