dapper-mcp-wp

An MCP server that lets Claude (Claude Code, Claude Desktop, claude.ai) connect to your WordPress sites and read context, create pages, and edit pages — instead of copy-pasting into the admin by hand.

Built for the builders you actually use: WPBakery / Visual Composer, Gutenberg, and Classic — all of which keep content in post_content, so they're fully editable over the standard WordPress REST API. No companion plugin required.

Elementor stores layout as JSON in post meta and needs a companion plugin to edit safely — that's a later phase, not part of this REST-only core.

How it works

Claude  ──MCP──>  dapper-mcp-wp  ──REST + App Password──>  WordPress site(s)
                  (this server)

• Auth: WordPress core Application Passwords (Settings → Users → your bot user). Scoped, revocable, never exposes a real login.

• Safety: new pages default to draft; edits rely on WordPress revisions (every save is auto-versioned → one-click rollback).

• Context: get_site_context reports theme, plugins, detected builder, and recent pages. Pair it with a hand-maintained profile in sites/.

Related MCP server: AutoWP MCP Server

Setup

1. Install deps & build

   npm install
   npm run build

2. Create the bot user on each site In WP admin: add a user (e.g. dapper-bot, role Editor or Admin) → edit the user → Application Passwords → add one → copy the generated password.

3. Add the connection — copy the example and fill in real values:

   cp sites.example.json sites.local.json   # sites.local.json is gitignored

   [
     { "name": "acme", "url": "https://acme.example.com",
       "username": "dapper-bot", "appPassword": "xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx" }
   ]

4. Smoke-test the connection

   npm run doctor

5. Point Claude Code at it (.mcp.json in a project, or your user config):

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "dapper-wp": { "command": "node", "args": ["dist/index.js"] }
     }
   }

   (Use an absolute path to dist/index.js, or tsx src/index.ts during dev.)

Tools

Roadmap

• Phase 1 (here): REST-only core for WPBakery / Gutenberg / Classic.

• Phase 2: get_design_tokens (colors/fonts), richer per-site profiles, WPBakery shortcode helpers imported from the skill file.

• Phase 3: optional dapper-connector WP plugin — one-click onboarding (auto-provision bot user + App Password) and Elementor/Divi support.

Security

sites.local.json and .env are gitignored. Never commit site credentials. Each site's Application Password can be revoked independently from WP admin.