# Cowboy MCP [Health: Active]

**Category:** 💻 Developer Tools  
**Repository:** https://github.com/februality/cowboy-mcp  
**GitHub Stars:** 12  
**Views:** 0  
**Installs:** 0  
**Upvotes:** 0  
**Directory Page:** https://allmcps.com/mcp/cowboy-mcp

## Description
Self-hosted WordPress MCP server with per-change undo and 203 tools. Free, no relay, no Pro tier.

## Claude Desktop Quick Installation
Install path detected from listing signals. Uses `npx` (confidence: high):

```json
"mcpServers": {
  "cowboy-mcp": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["-y","wp-env"]
  }
}
```

## Documentation

## What Cowboy MCP does

The Cowboy MCP MCP server turns a WordPress installation into an MCP endpoint that AI clients can use to manage the site. It supports WordPress 6.2 or newer and PHP 8.0 or newer, and the repository states that it has been tested up to WordPress 7.1. The plugin is licensed under GPL-2.0-or-later.

Its built-in coverage includes posts, pages, custom post types, taxonomies, comments, media, menus, options, users, plugins, themes, files, databases, and site health. It also includes Gutenberg and Site Editor operations, WooCommerce management, revisions, diagnostics, WP-CLI and system operations, and safety workflows. When supported plugins are active, additional tools register for products such as Wordfence, ACF, Elementor, Beaver Builder, SiteOrigin, SEO plugins, caching plugins, form plugins, and The Events Calendar.

## How it works

The Cowboy MCP MCP server runs inside WordPress and exposes a JSON-RPC 2.0 endpoint over Streamable HTTP. A typical endpoint uses the `/wp-json/cowboy-mcp/v1/endpoint` path. Terminal agents and editors authenticate with a generated Bearer API key. Claude desktop and web clients, along with ChatGPT, can use the documented OAuth 2.1 connection flow; that flow requires a public HTTPS site.

The default tool listing presents two gateway tools, `cowboy_discover` and `cowboy_run`. Agents discover the relevant operation and then run it, rather than receiving all 203 tool schemas in the initial context. The plugin also provides read-only resources, resource templates, and workflow prompts. On WordPress 6.9 and later, its tools are also exposed as `cowboy-mcp/*` abilities for WP-CLI, REST, and the official MCP Adapter.

Changes can use dry-run behavior, confirmation for destructive operations, before-state snapshots, conflict detection, batch undo, database checkpoints, and an audit log. Plugin and theme updates create a file backup and checkpoint before updating, then can restore automatically when the post-update health check fails.

## Setup and configuration

Install and activate Cowboy MCP from the WordPress plugin directory or from a downloaded package. In WordPress, open Settings → Cowboy MCP, generate an API key, and copy it when displayed; the key is shown once and stored as a hash.

Configure the client with the endpoint URL and an `Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY` header. The plugin’s Connection tab provides client-specific snippets. Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, VS Code, Zed, Claude Code, Codex CLI, and Gemini CLI are documented. Claude Desktop can connect to a local site through the generated `mcp-remote` bridge. Plain HTTP is supported for local terminal connections, while OAuth and cloud clients require HTTPS.

## Tools and capabilities

The Cowboy MCP MCP server includes up to 203 built-in tools, plus abilities registered by active WordPress plugins. Representative operations include:

- Drafting, editing, scheduling, and publishing content
- Uploading media and changing alternative text
- Editing block trees, templates, parts, patterns, navigation, and global styles
- Managing WooCommerce products, orders, refunds, customers, coupons, and settings
- Installing, updating, and deleting plugins and themes
- Editing files within `wp-content`, repairing tables, and running selected WP-CLI operations
- Inspecting logs, HTTP and email behavior, hooks, transients, REST routes, thumbnails, and rewrite rules
- Reading, comparing, and restoring revisions
- Managing SEO metadata, caches, forms, events, and supported page builders

## Limitations and notes

The plugin requires WordPress 6.2+ and PHP 8.0+. OAuth and connections from cloud clients need a publicly reachable HTTPS site. A local WordPress site works with API-key connections, and Claude Desktop needs the generated bridge configuration. Integrations appear only when their corresponding WordPress plugin is active. The README also notes that the server uses native WordPress APIs and does not require Composer, npm, a build step, WP-CLI, or `shell_exec()` at request time.

_Full upstream README: https://allmcps.com/mcp/cowboy-mcp/readme_