wp-abilities-api

Overview of wp-abilities-api skill

What wp-abilities-api is for

The wp-abilities-api skill helps you work with the WordPress Abilities API end to end: registering abilities and categories in PHP, exposing them through REST, and consuming them from @wordpress/abilities. It is most useful when you need a reliable wp-abilities-api skill workflow instead of guessing at hook order, REST visibility, or permission behavior.

Best-fit use cases

Use this skill for backend development tasks where an ability should be discoverable by clients, appear in /wp-json/wp-abilities/v1/*, or be registered cleanly in a plugin, theme, mu-plugin, or WordPress core checkout. It is a strong fit when you are fixing “ability doesn’t show up” issues, wiring new server-side abilities, or validating that a client can actually see what the server registered.

What matters most

The biggest value of wp-abilities-api is reducing lifecycle mistakes. The repository emphasizes registration timing, source scanning, and REST exposure checks, which matters more than generic prompt-writing because the API is easy to miswire even when the code looks correct.

How to Use wp-abilities-api skill

Install and place it in context

Install with npx skills add WordPress/agent-skills --skill wp-abilities-api. Then point the agent at the repo root and tell it whether the work belongs in core, a plugin, a theme, or a mu-plugin. For wp-abilities-api install decisions, also provide the target WordPress version, because WP 6.9+ support changes whether the skill can rely on core behavior or needs the plugin/package path.

Give the skill the right input

The strongest wp-abilities-api usage starts with a specific task, not a broad objective. Good input names the ability ID, category ID, desired label, callback shape, and whether it must be visible in REST. For example: “Add a site/clear-cache ability in this plugin, expose it to REST, and make sure the client can list it.” That is better than “set up abilities” because it tells the skill what output should exist and where it should appear.

Read these files first

Start with SKILL.md, then inspect references/php-registration.md and references/rest-api.md. Those two files surface the most decision-critical details: category-before-ability registration, the required hooks, and the REST routes you should verify. If you are deciding whether the wp-abilities-api guide applies to an existing codebase, search first for wp_register_ability(, wp_register_ability_category(, wp_abilities_api_init, wp_abilities_api_categories_init, wp-abilities/v1, and @wordpress/abilities.

Use a workflow that prevents false success

A practical wp-abilities-api workflow is: confirm version support, locate existing registrations, add categories before abilities, then verify REST exposure and client visibility. If output quality matters, ask the agent to include the exact file paths it changed, the hook used for each registration, and how it confirmed the ability appears in wp-abilities/v1/abilities or wp-abilities/v1/categories.

wp-abilities-api skill FAQ

Is wp-abilities-api only for backend development?

No, but it is strongest for backend development. The wp-abilities-api for Backend Development use case is where it shines: PHP registration, lifecycle hooks, REST exposure, and capability-style checks. If you only need a one-off UI prompt or a static code snippet, a generic prompt may be enough.

How is this different from writing my own prompt?

A generic prompt can describe the goal, but wp-abilities-api gives you a focused workflow for WordPress-specific constraints: hook timing, REST visibility, version compatibility, and the need to inspect existing registrations before adding new ones. That reduces trial-and-error when an ability exists in code but not in REST.

Do beginners need WordPress internals knowledge?

Basic familiarity helps, but the skill is still usable if you can identify the repository root and know where plugin or theme code lives. The main beginner trap is skipping the required inputs: WordPress version, project type, and where the change should live. Without those, the agent may choose the wrong registration path.

When should I not use this skill?

Do not use wp-abilities-api if your task is unrelated to WordPress abilities, if the project is below WP 6.9 and you cannot add the required package/plugin path, or if you do not need client-visible ability registration. In those cases, the skill adds process overhead without enough payoff.

How to Improve wp-abilities-api skill

Provide the exact registration target

The best results come from naming the ability ID, category, and intended exposure upfront. Instead of “add an admin ability,” say “register acme/reindex-search under acme-tools, expose it in REST, and make it available to JS clients.” That gives the wp-abilities-api skill enough structure to avoid vague or mismatched output.

Include constraints that change implementation

Mention WordPress version, whether this is core or a plugin/theme, and whether WP-CLI is available. Those details affect the install path, hook usage, and validation steps. If you omit them, the agent may produce code that looks correct but fails in your environment.

Ask for verification, not just code

The most common failure modes are wrong hook order, missing meta.show_in_rest, and assuming the ability will appear without checking the REST route. Ask the agent to validate against wp-abilities/v1/abilities and to explain why a registration belongs on wp_abilities_api_categories_init or wp_abilities_api_init. That turns the wp-abilities-api guide into a checkable workflow.

Iterate from repo evidence

If the first pass is incomplete, point the agent to the exact existing files and ask it to align with them rather than rewriting from scratch. For example: “Use the existing registration pattern in includes/abilities.php, keep the category naming consistent, and only change the REST visibility flag if needed.” This is the fastest way to improve wp-abilities-api usage without creating drift from the codebase.