Connect Cursor, Codex, Gemini CLI and VS Code to WordPress (MCP Setup)

You don’t need Claude Code to let an AI agent manage WordPress. Any client that speaks the Model Context Protocol (MCP) can connect to a WordPress MCP server, including Cursor, OpenAI Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, VS Code with GitHub Copilot, Windsurf, OpenCode, Cline and Google Antigravity. This guide gives you the setup for each one using the MCP server built into Tuli Builder.

Before you start

  1. Install Tuli Builder and activate your licence.
  2. Go to Tuli → Settings → MCP Server, tick Enable the MCP server for this site and save.
  3. Create an application password: choose the user it acts as and the actions it may perform, then copy the details. The password is shown only once.

Every client below uses the same two values:

  • Endpoint: https://your-site.com/wp-json/tuli/v1/mcp (Streamable HTTP)
  • Header: Authorization: Bearer YOUR_APPLICATION_PASSWORD

Tuli’s settings screen shows each snippet below with your real URL and password already filled in.

Cursor

Add this to ~/.cursor/mcp.json (all projects) or .cursor/mcp.json (one project):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "my-site": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://your-site.com/wp-json/tuli/v1/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_APPLICATION_PASSWORD" }
    }
  }
}

Open Cursor’s MCP settings to check that the server shows as connected, then ask the agent to work on your site.

OpenAI Codex CLI

Codex connects through the mcp-remote bridge, which needs Node.js:

codex mcp add my-site -- npx -y mcp-remote https://your-site.com/wp-json/tuli/v1/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_APPLICATION_PASSWORD"

You can also add the server to ~/.codex/config.toml. Note that this file is TOML, not JSON. Tuli shows the TOML version.

Gemini CLI

gemini mcp add --transport http my-site https://your-site.com/wp-json/tuli/v1/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_APPLICATION_PASSWORD"

Or add it to ~/.gemini/settings.json. Gemini uses httpUrl instead of url. Restart Gemini CLI and run /mcp to confirm the connection.

VS Code (GitHub Copilot)

Add the server to .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace, or run MCP: Add Server from the command palette, using the endpoint and header above. Copilot’s agent mode can then use your site’s tools.

Windsurf

Open Windsurf → Settings → Cascade → MCP → Manage plugins → View raw config and add the server to ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json. Windsurf uses serverUrl instead of url.

OpenCode, Cline and Antigravity

  • OpenCode: add the server to ~/.config/opencode/opencode.json (global) or opencode.json in your project.
  • Cline: open MCP Servers → Remote Servers and add the endpoint and header.
  • Google Antigravity: open Settings → MCP Servers → Add custom MCP server → View raw config. If an entry with the same name already exists, replace it completely instead of merging the keys.

Clients that only support stdio

If a client can only launch local MCP servers (Claude Desktop is one example), bridge the connection with mcp-remote:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "my-site": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["mcp-remote", "https://your-site.com/wp-json/tuli/v1/mcp", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_APPLICATION_PASSWORD"]
    }
  }
}

What the agent can do once it’s connected

Whichever client you use, the agent gets the same abilities, limited to what the application password allows:

  • Create and edit pages, posts and custom post types
  • Build visual Tuli layouts and reusable templates (headers, footers, single and archive)
  • Set up query loops, filters and dynamic data, so pages show live content
  • Register taxonomies and terms, upload media, and install and activate plugins
  • Edit global CSS and JavaScript, and add code snippets

For a Claude Code walkthrough, see how to connect Claude Code to WordPress.

FAQ

Can Cursor edit a WordPress website?

Yes. Add a WordPress MCP server, such as the one in Tuli Builder, to Cursor’s MCP config, and Cursor’s agent can create and update pages, posts, templates and more on the live site.

Which transport does the Tuli MCP server use?

Streamable HTTP, authenticated with an application password sent as a bearer token. Clients that only support stdio can connect through mcp-remote.

Can I connect several agents at once?

Yes. Create one application password per agent or device, each with its own permissions, and revoke any of them independently.

Does it work with ChatGPT?

You can use ChatGPT to generate HTML and paste it into Tuli. To let an agent manage the site directly, use an MCP client such as Codex CLI, Cursor, Claude Code or Gemini CLI.

Connect your favourite agent

Get Tuli Builder and give the AI tool you already use full, revocable access to build and manage your WordPress site.