wordpress-native-apis

An agent skill that pushes an agent to reach for the native WordPress core API before writing custom code: a lookup table of common reinventions (admin list tables, settings screens, caching, scheduled jobs, file handling, email, REST endpoints, and more) and their correct core replacement, plus guidance on when a well-maintained library legitimately beats core, and when custom code is actually justified.

Built by 84EM for use with Claude Code and other agent harnesses that load Agent Skills.

What is in here

Path	What it is	License
scripts/validate-skill.py	CI check: parses the frontmatter of every markdown file that declares it and asserts SKILL.md carries a usable name and description	MIT
SKILL.md	The skill: the native-first decision process, the WP_List_Table case in depth, the block-theme corollary, a reinvention-to-native-API lookup table, and the vetted-library and custom-code exception rules	MIT

Install

Claude Code (personal skill): clone and symlink into your skills directory.

git clone https://github.com/84emllc/claude-wordpress-native-apis-skill.git
ln -sfn "$(pwd)/claude-wordpress-native-apis-skill" ~/.claude/skills/wordpress-native-apis

The skill is then discoverable by its name and description frontmatter. No build step is required.

Usage

Ask the agent to build or review a WordPress plugin/theme feature. Before it writes anything custom, it checks the lookup table for a native replacement (an admin list -> WP_List_Table, a settings screen -> the Settings API, background jobs -> Action Scheduler, and so on), and only proceeds with a custom implementation when core genuinely does not fit -- stating why.

Licensing

MIT. See LICENSE.