Connect Your AI Client

Choose the installation guide for the application you use:

Claude Code CLI

Install the plugin from your terminal, with an agent skill and workflow commands.

Claude Desktop

Install the MCP Bundle through the Desktop app’s extension dialog.

The manual configurations below run npx -y @mainwp/mcp with your Dashboard URL, WordPress username, and Application Password. Use them for another AI client or when you prefer a manual server connection. If you keep credentials in a central ~/.config/mainwp-mcp/settings.json instead (see Configuration Reference), omit the env block in any of these examples. In MainWP Dashboard 6.3, open AI > MainWP MCP for guided setup. The Application Password success dialog also offers a Connect an AI tool panel with prefilled Claude Code, Cursor, and VS Code configurations. Copy the format for your client while the password is visible; see Application Passwords.

For extension installation, use Install in Claude Desktop. The instructions below are the manual config-file alternative.Edit the Claude Desktop configuration file:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Add the MainWP server to the mcpServers block (create the file if it does not exist):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mainwp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@mainwp/mcp"],
      "env": {
        "MAINWP_URL": "https://your-dashboard.com",
        "MAINWP_USER": "admin",
        "MAINWP_APP_PASSWORD": "xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx"
      }
    }
  }
}

Replace the URL with your Dashboard address, the username with the WordPress user that owns the Application Password, and the password with the one WordPress generated. Spaces in the password are fine either way, WordPress accepts it with or without them.Restart Claude Desktop after saving.

For the plugin, agent skill, and workflow commands, use Install in Claude Code CLI. The commands below add only the MCP server manually.Add the server from your terminal:

claude mcp add --transport stdio --scope user mainwp \
  --env MAINWP_URL=https://your-dashboard.com \
  --env MAINWP_USER=admin \
  --env MAINWP_APP_PASSWORD="xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx" \
  -- npx -y @mainwp/mcp

With a central settings file, the short form works:

claude mcp add --transport stdio --scope user mainwp -- npx -y @mainwp/mcp

User scope makes the server available across projects. The command contains the password and can remain in shell history. You can also define the same server in ~/.claude.json.

Add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json globally. This configuration contains a password; keep it out of a shared project’s .cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mainwp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@mainwp/mcp"],
      "env": {
        "MAINWP_URL": "https://your-dashboard.com",
        "MAINWP_USER": "admin",
        "MAINWP_APP_PASSWORD": "xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx"
      }
    }
  }
}

Cursor also supports ${env:VAR_NAME} placeholders if you prefer referencing system environment variables.

Add to .vscode/mcp.json in your project (requires VS Code 1.101+ with Agent Mode):

{
  "servers": {
    "mainwp": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@mainwp/mcp"],
      "env": {
        "MAINWP_URL": "https://your-dashboard.com",
        "MAINWP_USER": "admin",
        "MAINWP_APP_PASSWORD": "xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx"
      }
    }
  }
}

VS Code can prompt for the password at runtime so it is never stored in the file:

{
  "inputs": [
    {
      "type": "promptString",
      "id": "mainwp_password",
      "description": "MainWP Application Password",
      "password": true
    }
  ],
  "servers": {
    "mainwp": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@mainwp/mcp"],
      "env": {
        "MAINWP_URL": "https://your-dashboard.com",
        "MAINWP_USER": "admin",
        "MAINWP_APP_PASSWORD": "${input:mainwp_password}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to ~/.codex/config.toml:

[mcp_servers.mainwp]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "@mainwp/mcp"]

[mcp_servers.mainwp.env]
MAINWP_URL = "https://your-dashboard.com"
MAINWP_USER = "admin"
MAINWP_APP_PASSWORD = "xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx"

In VS Code, add the server under zencoder.mcpServers in settings.json:

{
  "zencoder.mcpServers": {
    "mainwp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@mainwp/mcp"],
      "env": {
        "MAINWP_URL": "https://your-dashboard.com",
        "MAINWP_USER": "admin",
        "MAINWP_APP_PASSWORD": "xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx"
      }
    }
  }
}

In JetBrains, go to Settings → Tools → Zencoder → MCP Servers and use the same JSON structure.

Windsurf and most other MCP hosts use the same JSON pattern:

command: npx
args: ["-y", "@mainwp/mcp"]
env: MAINWP_URL, MAINWP_USER, and MAINWP_APP_PASSWORD

Check your host’s documentation for where its MCP configuration lives.

Managing multiple Dashboards

Give each Dashboard its own folder with its own settings.json, then point each server entry at the right folder with cwd:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mainwp-production": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@mainwp/mcp"],
      "cwd": "/path/to/production-credentials"
    },
    "mainwp-staging": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@mainwp/mcp"],
      "cwd": "/path/to/staging-credentials"
    }
  }
}

The server reads ./settings.json from its working directory first, so each entry picks up its own credentials. Details in the Configuration Reference.

Getting Started

Understanding MainWP

Dashboard

Sites

Users

Updates

Plugins

Themes

Content Operations

Clients

MCP Server

API Reference

Troubleshooting

Customization

Advanced

Resources

Claude Code CLI

Claude Desktop

Managing multiple Dashboards

Claude Code CLI

Claude Desktop

​Managing multiple Dashboards

Managing multiple Dashboards