Title: REST API Author: Ryan McCue Published: September 24, 2015 Last modified: September 17, 2021 --- ## REST API component The REST APIREST API The REST API is an acronym for the RESTful Application Program Interface (API) that uses HTTP requests to GET, PUT, POST and DELETE data. It is how the front end of an application (think “phone app” or “website”) can communicate with the data store (think “database” or “file system”) [https://developer.wordpress.org/rest-api/](https://developer.wordpress.org/rest-api/) is an external HTTPHTTP HTTP is an acronym for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. HTTP is the underlying protocol used by the World Wide Web and this protocol defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and what actions Web servers and browsers should take in response to various commands. APIAPI An API or Application Programming Interface is a software intermediary that allows programs to interact with each other and share data in limited, clearly defined ways. allowing access and manipulation of data in WordPress. For more information about the API, see the [REST API Handbook](https://developer.wordpress.org/rest-api/). The component is lead by [@rmccue](https://profiles.wordpress.org/rmccue/) (Tech Lead) and [@kadamwhite](https://profiles.wordpress.org/kadamwhite/) (Design Lead). Features can be tracked on [the Trello board](https://trello.com/b/GGuA76vx/wordpress-rest-api-planning). Meetings are held weekly at [Thursday 18:00 UTC](https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20261015T1800) in [#core-restapi](https://wordpress.slack.com/messages/core-restapi/) . #### Subcomponents: 󠀁[Application Passwords](https://make.wordpress.org/core/components/rest-api/application-passwords/)󠁿. ### Recent posts on the make/core blog * [Filtering registered abilities with wp_get_abilities() in WordPress 7.1](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2026/08/05/filtering-registered-abilities-with-wp_get_abilities-in-wordpress-7-1/)( August 5, 2026) * [A unified public exposure flag for Abilities in WordPress 7.1](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2026/08/04/a-unified-public-exposure-flag-for-abilities-in-wordpress-7-1/)( August 4, 2026) * [JSON Schema preparation for client compatibility in WordPress 7.1](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2026/07/31/json-schema-preparation-for-client-compatibility-in-wordpress-7-1/)( July 31, 2026) * [Abilities API improvements in WordPress 7.1](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2026/07/31/abilities-api-improvements-in-wordpress-7-1/)( July 31, 2026) * [Miscellaneous REST API improvements in WordPress 6.1](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2022/10/11/miscellaneous-rest-api-improvements-in-wordpress-6-1/)( October 11, 2022) View all posts tagged [rest-api](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/rest-api/). [Create a new ticket](https://login.wordpress.org/?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fcore.trac.wordpress.org%2Fnewticket%3Fcomponent%3DREST%2BAPI) ### 181 open tickets in the REST API component | [181 open tickets](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&status=!closed) | [defect (bug)](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&type=defect+%28bug%29&group=milestone&status=!closed) | [enhancement](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&type=enhancement&group=milestone&status=!closed) | [feature request](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&type=feature+request&group=milestone&status=!closed) | [task (blessed)](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&type=task+%28blessed%29&group=milestone&status=!closed) | | [7.2](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&milestone=7.2&group=task+%28blessed%29&status=!closed) | [5](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&milestone=7.2&type=defect+%28bug%29&status=!closed) | [3](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&milestone=7.2&type=enhancement&status=!closed) | 0 | 0 | | [Awaiting Review](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&milestone=Awaiting+Review&group=task+%28blessed%29&status=!closed) | [53](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&milestone=Awaiting+Review&type=defect+%28bug%29&status=!closed) | [47](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&milestone=Awaiting+Review&type=enhancement&status=!closed) | [9](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&milestone=Awaiting+Review&type=feature+request&status=!closed) | 0 | | [Future Release](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&milestone=Future+Release&group=task+%28blessed%29&status=!closed) | [26](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&milestone=Future+Release&type=defect+%28bug%29&status=!closed) | [32](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&milestone=Future+Release&type=enhancement&status=!closed) | [1](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&milestone=Future+Release&type=feature+request&status=!closed) | [3](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&milestone=Future+Release&type=task+%28blessed%29&status=!closed) | | [](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&milestone&group=task+%28blessed%29&status=!closed) | 0 | [1](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&milestone&type=enhancement&status=!closed) | [1](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&milestone&type=feature+request&status=!closed) | 0 | **181 open tickets.** Last 7 days: +0 tickets ### 23 tickets that have no replies [View list on Trac](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&id=48822%2C50239%2C52590%2C53828%2C53836%2C53942%2C54513%2C54753%2C55128%2C55672%2C56587%2C56593%2C56668%2C56919%2C57088%2C58710%2C60142%2C60349%2C60608%2C61444%2C63074%2C63402%2C64019&status=!closed) * [#48822](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/48822)  Indicate partial success/ error of a REST API request * [#50239](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/50239)  REST API Debug/Dev Mode * [#52590](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/52590)  Consider increasing the limit of the perPage argument in paginated requests. rest-api * [#53828](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/53828)  Nullable registered meta with format does not display in JSON schema rest-api * [#53836](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/53836)  Option to additionally format API response * [#53942](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/53942)  Non-single post meta multiple value update breaks post save through REST API rest-api * [#54513](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/54513)  Add meta support to template REST API rest-api * [#54753](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/54753)  Wrong post content when uploading raw post data via REST API when html data url is used rest-api * [#55128](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/55128)  REST API /media leaves holes in the result, making it virtually impossible to paginate through them rest-api * [#55672](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/55672)  Media endpoint allows multiple media types on request, but only returns image in response rest-api * [#56587](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/56587)  REST API sanitize and validate order / priority * [#56593](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/56593)  Post meta validation error messages are not helpful to end users rest-api * [#56668](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/56668)  REST API calls are failed when cookies are cleared from the site * [#56919](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/56919)  REST API term embed 401- not allowed to view terms for this post * [#57088](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/57088)  Rest API improve time response with cache * [#58710](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/58710)  REST: media (images) deleted or replaced are returned by their new id when requested by their old id * [#60142](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/60142)  wordpress api not returns category descriptions in embedded data of post rest-api * [#60349](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/60349)  Rest API media upload utf8 urlencoded filename not decoded on server * [#60608](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/60608)  Missing REST API users endpoint orderby parameters * [#61444](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/61444)  REST API: If Super Admin does not exist in subsite, retrieving users is rejected * [#63074](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/63074)  Automated Output Escaping Based on REST API Schema * [#63402](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/63402)  Query Posts without URL parameters to avoid running into character limit with many filters * [#64019](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/64019)  Improve clarity of REST API meta field error message "The %s property has an invalid stored value, and cannot be updated to null." rest-api ### 8 tickets slated for 7.2 [View list in Trac](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&milestone=7.2&status=!closed) * [#46992](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/46992)  Add a filter which allows the HTTP headers for REST API Endpoints to be changed * [#54484](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/54484)  REST API returns (empty) array for Meta but Schema has type object * [#63670](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/63670)  Add trashability to REST API posts controller * [#63982](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/63982)  Comment REST API route: add support multiple statuses * [#64260](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/64260)  Default filter `doing_it_wrong_trigger_error` for REST request cause no notice at all. rest-api * [#65050](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/65050)  REST API: Comments controller returns 403 instead of 404 for invalid post ID in update_item() coding-standards * [#65810](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/65810)  REST API: attachments created from a `url` skip the shared insert path in `create_item()` * [#66027](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/66027)  REST API: let the media create endpoint record the attachment an upload was edited from rest-api ### 181 open tickets **Open enhancements: 83** [View list on Trac](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&type=enhancement&status=!closed) ** Open tasks: 3** [View list on Trac](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&type=task+%28blessed%29&status=!closed)** Open feature requests: 11** [View list on Trac](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&type=feature+request&status=!closed)** Open defects: 84** [View list on Trac](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?component=REST+API&type=defect+%28bug%29&status=!closed) ### Help maintain this component Component maintainers: * Timothy Jacobs * Ryan McCue * Rachel Baker * K. 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