WordPress just quietly rolled out something that could fundamentally change how we build and interact with websites. It’s not flashy; it won’t make your site look different, but the WordPress Feature API might be the most important architectural shift the platform has seen in years.
What Exactly Is the Feature API?
Think of the Feature API as WordPress’s first attempt at becoming truly machine-readable. Instead of developers having to dig through documentation or hunt through source code to find functionality, everything becomes discoverable through a centralized registry.
The WordPress Feature API offers a standardized way to expose WordPress functionality for both client- and server-side use. It creates a unified registry that makes key features easily accessible to developers and AI systems, including large language models.
Every capability in WordPress—from inserting blocks to managing users—can now be registered as a “feature” with standardized descriptions, parameters, and eligibility requirements. This creates a systematic language that both humans and AI can understand.
Why This Matters More Than You Think
The Discovery Problem Is Real
If you’ve ever spent hours trying to figure out how to accomplish something in WordPress that you knew was possible somewhere, you understand the discovery problem. The Feature API solves this by making functionality searchable and filterable.
Features can be filtered, categorized, and searched for more accurate feature matching, allowing developers to find what they need without the need for endless documentation hunting.
AI Integration That Works
Here’s where things get interesting. It relies heavily on the MCP Specification; however, it’s tailored to the needs of WordPress. The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is designed specifically to help AI systems understand and interact with software environments.
This means AI tools can now:
– Understand what your WordPress site can do
– Execute tasks beyond just content creation
– Make intelligent decisions about which tools to use
– Provide contextual assistance based on your current situation
Instead of AI that just writes blog posts, imagine AI that can actually manage your entire WordPress workflow.
Real-World Applications That Will Change Everything
For Plugin Developers
The old way required building REST endpoints, creating admin interfaces, and hoping someone found your documentation. Now, developers can register features that automatically become discoverable across the WordPress ecosystem.
An e-commerce plugin might register features like process_refund or update_inventory_levels. A security plugin could expose scan_for_malware and enable_two_factor_auth. A form builder might register create_multi_step_form and export_form_submissions. These features become available to any system that understands the Features API, including AI agents, other plugins, and custom dashboards.
For Site Owners and Agencies
The practical implications are enormous. From chatbots and content generation to smart search and contextual personalization, every agency now faces the same question: How do we integrate AI into our WordPress workflows without reinventing the wheel?
With the Feature API, you could potentially:
– Ask an AI to “create a pricing table for my services page” and have it actually build it
– Get automated recommendations for performance optimizations based on your site’s current features
– Build client portals that dynamically show only the tools each user actually needs
– Create intelligent maintenance workflows that automatically handle routine tasks
Context-Aware Everything
One of the most powerful aspects is contextual intelligence. Features can include eligibility checks and context-matching logic, meaning tools only appear when they’re actually helpful.
No more overwhelming users with options they can’t use. The right features surface at the right time, creating interfaces that feel intuitive rather than complicated.
Technical Implementation: Built for Developers
This project is structured as a monorepo using npm workspaces with both PHP and JavaScript components. The architecture includes:
– packages/client: Core client-side SDK for frontend development
– REST API integration: Leverages existing WordPress endpoints
– MCP compatibility: Direct integration with AI systems
– Extensible registry: Easy feature registration from plugins and themes
Current Status and Community Adoption
Automattic is actively developing the Feature API with several related projects in progress. This project was originally launched during the CloudFest Hackathon 2025 to implement the Model Context Protocol (MCP) within the WordPress ecosystem, demonstrating strong community interest.
Multiple implementations are already available:
– Official Automattic repositories on GitHub
– Community-driven MCP server implementations
– Plugin integrations with popular AI tools
– Agency adoption for client projects
What This Means for WordPress’s Future
The Feature API won’t magically transform WordPress overnight, but it could redefine how we interact with it. This isn’t about replacing WordPress’s current capabilities. Instead, it’s about making them systematically accessible. Beyond enabling AI integration, the Feature API paves the way for smarter interfaces, seamless plugin interoperability, automated site management, improved developer tools, and more efficient client workflows.
Getting Started
If you’re a developer, check out the GitHub repository to collaborate. The project includes comprehensive documentation, working demos, and clear implementation examples.
For agencies and site owners, start paying attention to plugins that integrate with the Feature API. Early adopters will have significant advantages as the ecosystem develops.
A Smarter WordPress Starts Here
The WordPress Feature API represents something rare in web development: a foundational shift that improves how we work without disrupting what already works. As AI-native platforms rise, WordPress isn’t standing still. It’s evolving.
At Trew Knowledge, we’re already exploring how to integrate this new architecture into enterprise-grade WordPress solutions. From AI-powered workflows to intelligent content systems, we help organizations stay ahead by tapping into what’s next without losing what makes WordPress so powerful in the first place. Contact our experts today.
