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run_php vs SSH: When to Use Each on WordPress

· 2 min read · AI Bridge

Programming code displayed on a dark screen
run_php executes in WordPress's live PHP runtime — the same environment as wp-admin and WP-CLI.

Traditional WordPress development often means SSH into the server, run WP-CLI, edit files with vim, or deploy via CI. AI Bridge adds a third path: run_php executes code in the live PHP runtime through MCP — from the IDE where you already work.

How run_php works

When an agent calls run_php, AI Bridge:

  1. Authenticates the request via Application Password
  2. Evaluates PHP in the WordPress bootstrap context
  3. Returns stdout, return values, or structured errors
  4. Uses sandbox isolation for newly written files when applicable
POST /wp-json/ai-bridge/v1/tools/run_php
{
  "code": "return array(
    'wp' => get_bloginfo('version'),
    'theme' => wp_get_theme()->get('Name'),
    'plugins' => count(get_option('active_plugins'))
  );"
}

When run_php wins

  • Quick diagnostics — inspect options, active plugins, theme mods
  • Bootstrap scripts — activate plugins, flush rewrite rules, run setup imports
  • Agent deploys — chain write_file then run_php in one session
  • Restricted hosts — SSH disabled but HTTPS REST allowed
  • IDE-native workflow — no context switch to terminal
Terminal and IDE side by side on a developer desk
Many teams use run_php for WordPress automation and SSH for system-level tasks.

When SSH still wins

  • Long-running processes or interactive debugging with Xdebug
  • System package management (apt, nginx configs)
  • Git operations on bare repos outside web root
  • Reading server logs in /var/log

Comparison at a glance

Capability run_php (MCP) SSH + WP-CLI
WordPress API access ✓ Full ✓ Full
Works from Cursor/Claude ✓ Native Terminal only
Requires SSH port ✗ ✓
Sandbox for new files ✓ ✗
System-level access ✗ ✓

Real-world example

An agency runs nightly agent sessions on staging: the agent calls get_site_info, checks for plugin updates, runs compatibility snippets via run_php, and writes a summary to a Slack webhook. Production SSH credentials never enter the agent context — only staging Application Passwords.

run_php is not a replacement for SSH. It is WordPress-native automation from the AI tools you already use.

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