A recent article, “Why WordPress 6.9 Abilities API Is Consequential And Far-Reaching,” by Roger Montti of Search Engine Journal, highlights why the upcoming Abilities API, debuting in WordPress 6.9 on December 2, 2025, may become one of the release’s most transformative features. Montti’s piece outlines how this new system standardizes the way WordPress core, plugins, and themes describe functionality, something that has historically been fragmented across custom code, AJAX handlers, and plugin-specific approaches.
As Montti explains, the Abilities API introduces a unified, machine-readable format that defines each “ability,” including its inputs, outputs, permissions, and execution logic. By treating these as self-contained units rather than scattered functions, WordPress positions itself to work more predictably with AI agents and automation tools, an emphasis Montti notes is part of the broader AI Building Blocks initiative within WordPress development.
Montti also stresses the practical benefits for developers: abilities become automatically discoverable and accessible through REST API endpoints, grouped into categories, validated, and governed by explicit permission rules. This means plugin and theme authors gain a consistent way to expose features while reducing conflicts, an outcome reinforced by new naming conventions and best practices he highlights.
In summarizing the architecture behind the API, Montti highlights its three foundational components: the PHP registration system, built-in REST exposure, and new hooks that facilitate the integration of abilities into broader workflows. These design goals, discoverability, interoperability, and security, give WordPress a cohesive framework that can support AI-driven functionality for years to come.
Overall, Montti’s analysis positions the Abilities API not as a small developer convenience but as a far-reaching shift in how WordPress organizes and describes functionality. With its arrival in WordPress 6.9, the platform is taking a major step toward future-proofing itself for the era of automated and AI-powered tooling.