wp-abilities-api

WP Abilities API When to use Use this skill when the task involves: registering abilities or ability categories in PHP, exposing abilities to clients via REST ( wp-abilities/v1 ), consuming abilities in JS (notably @wordpress/abilities ), diagnosing “ability doesn’t show up” / “client can’t see ability” / “REST returns empty”. Inputs required Repo root (run wp-project-triage first if you haven’t). Target WordPress version(s) and whether this is WP core or a plugin/theme. Where the change should live (plugin vs theme vs mu-plugin). Procedure 1) Confirm availability and version constraints If this is WP core work, check signals.isWpCoreCheckout and versions.wordpress.core . If the project targets WP < 6.9, you may need the Abilities API plugin/package rather than relying on core. 2) Find existing Abilities usage Search for these in the repo: wp_register_ability( wp_register_ability_category( wp_abilities_api_init wp_abilities_api_categories_init wp-abilities/v1 @wordpress/abilities If none exist, decide whether you’re introducing Abilities API fresh (new registrations + client consumption) or only consuming. 3) Register categories (optional) If you need a logical grouping, register an ability category early (see references/php-registration.md ). 4) Register abilities (PHP) Implement the ability in PHP registration with: stable id (namespaced), label / description , category , meta : add readonly: true when the ability is informational, set show_in_rest: true for abilities you want visible to clients. Use the documented init hooks for Abilities API registration so they load at the right time (see references/php-registration.md ). 5) Confirm REST exposure Verify the REST endpoints exist and return expected results (see references/rest-api.md ). If the client still can’t see the ability, confirm meta.show_in_rest is enabled and you’re querying the right endpoint. 6) Consume from JS (if needed) Prefer @wordpress/abilities APIs for client-side access and checks. Ensure build tooling includes the dependency and the project’s build pipeline bundles it. Verification wp-project-triage indicates signals.usesAbilitiesApi: true after your change (if applicable). REST check (in a WP environment): endpoints under wp-abilities/v1 return your ability and category when expected. If the repo has tests, add/update coverage near: PHP: ability registration and meta exposure JS: ability consumption and UI gating Failure modes / debugging Ability never appears: registration code not running (wrong hook / file not loaded), missing meta.show_in_rest , incorrect category/ID mismatch. REST shows ability but JS doesn’t: wrong REST base/namespace, JS dependency not bundled, caching (object/page caches) masking changes. Escalation If you’re uncertain about version support, confirm target WP core versions and whether Abilities API is expected from core or as a plugin. For canonical details, consult: references/rest-api.md references/php-registration.md