The WordPress REST API is used to programmatically manage and retrieve content in JSON format through built-in endpoints. 1. Core endpoints like /posts, /media, and /users support standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) for interacting with content. 2. Authentication via Application Passwords, OAuth, or JWT is required for write operations such as creating or updating posts. 3. Custom endpoints can be registered using register_rest_route() to expose specialized data or functionality. 4. JavaScript’s fetch() method allows frontend integration, enabling retrieval and creation of content with proper headers and CORS configuration.
Interacting with the WordPress REST API is a powerful way to manage and retrieve content from your site programmatically. Whether you're building a custom frontend, integrating with another service, or creating a mobile app, the REST API gives you structured access to your WordPress data in JSON format.
Here’s how to get started effectively.
Understanding the Basic Endpoints
The WordPress REST API comes with built-in endpoints for core content types like posts, pages, users, comments, and media. These endpoints follow a predictable structure:
https://your-site.com/wp-json/wp/v2/posts https://your-site.com/wp-json/wp/v2/media https://your-site.com/wp-json/wp/v2/users
Each endpoint allows you to perform standard HTTP methods:
GET– retrieve dataPOST– create new itemsPUT– update existing itemsDELETE– remove items
For example, visiting /wp-json/wp/v2/posts in your browser will return a list of recent posts in JSON format. You can also use tools like Postman or cURL to send more complex requests.
If you’re working with custom post types or plugins, they often register their own endpoints too — just check the plugin documentation or use the /wp-json/ root URL to explore available routes.
Authentication for Write Operations
By default, reading data via GET requests doesn’t require authentication. But if you want to create, update, or delete content, you’ll need to authenticate your requests.
There are several ways to do this:
- Application Passwords (simplest for single-user access)
- OAuth 1a Server (for third-party apps)
- JWT Authentication (common for headless setups)
To use Application Passwords:
- Go to your user profile in WordPress.
- Scroll down to “Application Passwords.”
- Generate a new password.
- Use it along with your username in the request headers.
Example using cURL to create a post:
curl -X POST https://your-site.com/wp-json/wp/v2/posts \
-u your-username:your-application-password \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"title":"New Post","content":"This was created via API"}'Without proper authentication, your POST, PUT, or DELETE requests will be denied with a 401 error.
Customizing and Extending the API
Sometimes the default endpoints don’t give you exactly what you need. That’s where custom endpoints come in handy.
You can register your own routes using the register_rest_route() function in your theme’s functions.php or a custom plugin:
function my_custom_api_route( $request ) {
return rest_ensure_response( array( 'message' => 'Hello from the API!' ) );
}
register_rest_route( 'myplugin/v1', '/hello', array(
'methods' => 'GET',
'callback' => 'my_custom_api_route',
) );Once added, you can access it at /wp-json/myplugin/v1/hello.
This approach is useful when you want to expose specific data or functionality that isn't part of the standard endpoints — like querying a custom database table or returning aggregated stats.
Also, you can modify existing responses using filters like rest_prepare_post, which lets you add extra fields or alter output without changing core files.
Handling Requests in JavaScript (e.g., with Fetch)
If you're working on a frontend project or block editor extension, you'll likely interact with the REST API using JavaScript's fetch() method.
Here’s how to fetch recent posts:
fetch('/wp-json/wp/v2/posts')
.then(response => response.json())
.then(posts => console.log(posts));To create a post from the frontend, you'd include the credentials and body:
fetch('/wp-json/wp/v2/posts', {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'Content-Type': 'application/json',
'Authorization': 'Basic ' btoa('your-username:your-application-password')
},
body: JSON.stringify({ title: 'From JS', content: 'API works!' })
})
.then(res => res.json())
.then(data => console.log(data));Make sure your site allows CORS if you're making requests from a different domain. Plugins like WP REST API CORS can help with that.
That’s basically how most people work with the WordPress REST API day-to-day — whether it's pulling data into a dashboard or syncing content between systems. It’s not overly complicated once you understand how endpoints, authentication, and customization fit together.
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