Connect an MCP client

What you need

• A computer that runs the AI client, with PHP 8.3 or newer and the phar extension. Check with php -v and php -m. Composer is not needed.
• The file wbengine-mcp.phar and its checksum file wbengine-mcp.phar.sha256 from the WBengine releases.
• A key for the assistant from the Integrations page of the site, with the preset that fits (see MCP server). The page shows the configuration once, with the key already in it.

The server needs three settings, which the client passes as environment variables: WBENGINE_MCP_URL (the address of the site, with https), WBENGINE_MCP_KEY (the key) and WBENGINE_MCP_MODE (full, or draft to hide the publish tools on this computer).

Download and check the file

Save the two files in one folder that you will not delete, for example ~/wbengine/ on Linux and macOS or C:\Users\you\wbengine\ on Windows. Check the file against its checksum:

• Linux: sha256sum -c wbengine-mcp.phar.sha256
• macOS: shasum -a 256 -c wbengine-mcp.phar.sha256
• Windows (PowerShell): Get-FileHash wbengine-mcp.phar -Algorithm SHA256, and compare the value with the content of wbengine-mcp.phar.sha256

Do not use a file whose checksum differs.

Add the server to the client

Claude Code. The Integrations page shows this command with your key. Replace the path with the full path of the file:

claude mcp add --env 'WBENGINE_MCP_URL=https://www.example.org' --env 'WBENGINE_MCP_KEY=wbv2_...' --env 'WBENGINE_MCP_MODE=full' --transport stdio wbengine-www -- php /path/to/wbengine-mcp.phar

Claude Desktop and other clients that read an mcpServers section of a configuration file:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "wbengine-www": {
      "command": "php",
      "args": ["/path/to/wbengine-mcp.phar"],
      "env": {
        "WBENGINE_MCP_URL": "https://www.example.org",
        "WBENGINE_MCP_KEY": "wbv2_...",
        "WBENGINE_MCP_MODE": "full"
      }
    }
  }
}

If the client cannot find php (a program started from a menu or the dock often does not see the PATH of your shell), put the full path of the PHP program in command, for example /opt/homebrew/bin/php or C:\\php\\php.exe.

Linux

Use the commands above with a path such as /home/you/wbengine/wbengine-mcp.phar. Install PHP with your package manager if php -v shows an older version than 8.3.

macOS

Use a path such as /Users/you/wbengine/wbengine-mcp.phar. PHP is available from Homebrew (brew install php). Claude Desktop reads its configuration from ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json; that location comes from the documentation of the client and was not tested here.

Windows

The recommended way is WSL2. Install a Linux distribution in WSL2, run the AI client and the server inside it, and follow the Linux steps there. The server and the client then run in the same Linux environment, as on any Linux computer.

If you run the client natively on Windows, install PHP for Windows (the phar extension must be enabled in php.ini), and use a path with the drive letter. In a JSON file every backslash is written twice:

"args": ["C:\\Users\\you\\wbengine\\wbengine-mcp.phar"]

In PowerShell the claude mcp add command works with the single quotes as shown. In cmd.exe use double quotes instead. Claude Desktop reads %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json; that location comes from the documentation of the client and was not tested here.

Check that it works

Restart the client or reconnect the server (in Claude Code, /mcp reconnect followed by the name of the server). Ask the assistant to call site_info. It lists the languages of the site and what the key may do. If a publish tool is missing, the key or the mode does not allow it.

What was checked

On Linux, macOS and Windows the server was started the way a client starts it, answered its first requests, stayed running while the client was quiet for more than a minute, and stopped cleanly when the client closed it. A full session of Claude Code was run on macOS. Sessions of other clients, and of Claude Code on Linux and Windows, were not run.

When it does not start

Message or sign	Remedy
the client says the server failed or disconnected at once	run the same command in a terminal: php /path/to/wbengine-mcp.phar. A message names a missing setting, or the file is not found.
php is not found	use the full path of PHP in command
the path still reads /path/to/wbengine-mcp.phar	replace it with the real path of the file
a key that worked stops working	it was revoked, or the site restricts the key to other addresses
the server needs a newer PHP	install PHP 8.3 or newer and the phar extension

To update the server, replace the file as described on the MCP server page and reconnect the client.