Respira Setup Assistant

Version: 1.1.0 Updated: 2026-05-17 Category: onboarding Status: active Freshly updated: v1.1.0 picks up the v7.1 OAuth setup flow, the new respira_diagnose_connection tool for edge-layer blocks, and the install-skills npm command. Requires: Respira for WordPress plugin (installs via this skill if missing) Telemetry endpoint: https://www.respira.press/api/skills/track-usage

Description

Diagnose your Respira MCP connection, walk through first-time setup, and fix common connection problems.

The Respira Setup Assistant checks whether the plugin is installed, whether an API key exists, and whether the MCP server version is compatible with the plugin. It gives you a clear status report, walks through any missing steps, and resolves the most common errors (timeouts, 401s, 403s, version mismatches) with plain-language instructions.

Use this skill the first time you connect Respira, after a WordPress update, or whenever Respira tools stop working.

Trigger Phrases

This skill activates when the user says any of the following:

• "set up respira"
• "connect respira"
• "respira setup"
• "respira not working"
• "respira connection failed"
• "fix respira"
• "respira setup assistant"
• "check my respira connection"
• "respira health check"
• "diagnose respira"
• "respira mcp setup"
• "is respira connected"
• "respira not connecting"
• "help me set up respira"
• "respira install"

Do NOT trigger for: general WordPress tasks, requests that assume Respira is already working, or skill-specific requests like "build internal links" where the skill handles its own Respira check.

Execution Workflow

Step 1: Run the Doctor Check

Start by calling respira_diagnose_connection (Respira plugin v7.0.16+ / MCP server v6.11.13+). This is the single fastest way to know whether the MCP server reaches the plugin and whether any edge-layer (Cloudflare, WAF) is blocking the REST namespace.

Tool: respira_diagnose_connection
Returns: connection status, version pair, edge-layer block detection (Cloudflare "Bad Bot" pattern, WAF filters), CF allow-list snippet when blocks are detected

If the diagnose tool is unavailable (older plugin or MCP), fall back to respira_get_server_compatibility.

Tool: respira_get_server_compatibility
Returns: plugin version, MCP server version, compatibility status, minimum requirements

Interpret the result:

If the call succeeds, proceed to Step 2 for a full status report.

If it fails, skip to the Troubleshooting section that matches the error.

Step 2: Full Site Context

Tool: respira_get_site_context
Returns: WordPress version, PHP version, site URL, active plugins, active theme

From this response, check:

1. Plugin installed and active — look for respira-for-wordpress in the active plugins list
2. API key configured — the context response will include a flag indicating whether an API key is present
3. WordPress version — flag if below 6.0 (minimum supported)
4. PHP version — flag if below 7.4 (minimum supported)

Step 3: Generate Status Report

Present a clear, scannable status report. Use this format:

## Respira Connection Status

### Plugin
- Installed: Yes / No
- Active: Yes / No
- Version: X.X.X (up to date / update available)

### API Key
- Configured: Yes / No

### MCP Server
- Version: X.X.X
- Compatible with plugin: Yes / No

### WordPress
- Version: X.X.X (supported / below minimum)
- PHP Version: X.X (supported / below minimum)

### Overall Status
[CONNECTED — ready to use]
  or
[ACTION NEEDED — see steps below]

Then branch based on status:

Branch A: Everything is healthy

Output:

Your Respira connection is healthy.

Quick-start commands to try right now:
- respira_list_pages — see all your pages
- respira_get_builder_info — find out which page builder you're using
- respira_get_site_context — full site overview

Skills available in the marketplace:
- "WordPress Site DNA" — full site audit
- "SEO & AEO Amplifier" — SEO health check
- "Internal Link Builder" — build internal links

Branch B: Plugin not installed or not active

Output:

## Respira Plugin Not Found

To connect your AI assistant to WordPress, install the Respira for WordPress plugin.

### Install steps (v7.1 OAuth, recommended):
1. Go to https://respira.press/releases
2. Download the latest version
3. In WordPress admin: Plugins, then Add New, then Upload Plugin
4. Activate the plugin
5. On the Setup screen, click "Connect respira.press account". The OAuth handshake links the licence to the user's respira.press account so plan changes sync automatically and host migrations don't require re-activation.

### Install steps (manual licence-key fallback):
1. Steps 1-4 above
2. On the Setup screen, click "Or paste a licence key manually"
3. Paste the key from respira.press/dashboard/licenses
4. Go to Respira, then Settings, then API Keys, and create a new MCP key

### MCP server setup:
Run this in your terminal:
npx -y @respira/wordpress-mcp-server --setup

Follow the prompts. You'll need your WordPress site URL and the API key from the dashboard installer.

Optional after setup: install the bundled skill collection:
npx @respira/wordpress-mcp-server install-skills

Once done, come back and say: "check my respira connection"

Branch C: Plugin installed but no API key

Output:

## API Key Missing

The Respira plugin is installed but no API key is configured. The MCP server needs a key to authenticate.

### Create an API key:
1. In WordPress admin, go to Respira, then Settings, then API Keys
2. Click "Add New Key"
3. Give it a name (e.g., "Claude Desktop")
4. Copy the generated key
5. Add it to your MCP server config by running:
   npx -y @respira/wordpress-mcp-server --setup
   and paste the key when prompted

Once done, say: "check my respira connection"

Branch D: Version mismatch

Output using specific versions from the compatibility check:

## Version Mismatch Detected

Plugin version: X.X.X
MCP server version: X.X.X
Required: [minimum version from compatibility response]

### To fix:

Note: pre-v6.11.13 the MCP server self-reported as v6.11.4 after upgrades because of a stale-constant bug. If respira_get_server_compatibility returns 6.11.4 after a recent npm install -g @respira/wordpress-mcp-server@latest, run that command again and restart the agent. The fix in v6.11.13+ reads the version from package.json at module load.

Then give the specific update instruction based on which side is behind:

If plugin needs updating:

Update the Respira plugin:
1. Go to Respira → Settings → Updates (or check wp-admin → Updates)
2. Or download the latest version at https://respira.press/releases
3. Install and activate

If MCP server needs updating:

Update the MCP server:
npx -y @respira/wordpress-mcp-server@latest --update

Or in Claude Desktop settings, update the command to use the latest version.

Troubleshooting Common Errors

If Step 1 (the doctor check) returned an error, use the guide below. Ask the user what error they are seeing if it was not explicit.

Connection Timeout

Symptoms: Tools hang or return "connection timed out", "ECONNREFUSED", or "fetch failed"

Checklist — work through these in order:

1. Check the site URL — In your MCP server config, does the URL match your WordPress site exactly? Include the correct protocol (https:// vs http://) and no trailing slash issues.

1. Check if the site is online — Visit your WordPress site in a browser. If it's down, Respira can't connect either.

1. Check firewall / server block — Some hosting providers or firewalls block non-browser requests to the REST API. Ask your host to allow requests from your IP, or check if a firewall plugin (like Wordfence) is blocking API traffic.

1. Check REST API access — Visit https://yoursite.com/wp-json/ in a browser. If you see a JSON response, the REST API is accessible. If you get a 404, the REST API may be disabled.

1. Staging sites with HTTP Basic Auth — If your staging site has password protection (the browser asks for a username + password before showing anything), you need to include those credentials in your MCP config. See Branch F below.

401 Unauthorized

Symptoms: Tools return "401", "Unauthorized", or "Invalid API key"

Checklist:

1. API key exists — Go to WordPress admin → Respira → API Keys. Confirm a key exists and is not expired.

1. API key is correct — API keys are shown only once when created. If you lost it, delete it and create a new one. Copy it carefully — no extra spaces.

1. Key is in the right config field — In your MCP server setup, the key goes in the RESPIRA_API_KEY field, not the WordPress username/password field.

1. Staging site with HTTP Basic Auth — See Branch F for how to add staging credentials.

403 Forbidden

Symptoms: Tools return "403", "Forbidden", or "REST API disabled"

Checklist:

1. REST API is not disabled — Some security plugins or hosting setups disable the WordPress REST API. Check your security plugin (Wordfence, iThemes Security, All-In-One WP Security) for a "Disable REST API" setting and turn it off, or add Respira's endpoint to the whitelist.

1. Respira endpoint is whitelisted — The REST API endpoint Respira uses is /wp-json/respira/v1/. Whitelist this path in any security plugin that filters REST API access.

1. User role restrictions — Some setups restrict REST API access to logged-in users. Respira's API key authentication bypasses this, but only if the key is valid (see 401 steps above).

1. Cloudflare or WAF blocking — If your site uses Cloudflare or a Web Application Firewall, it may be blocking Respira requests as bot traffic. v7.0.16 added detection for the Cloudflare "Bad Bot - Action Block" pattern: respira_diagnose_connection issues OPTIONS /wp-json/respira/v1/ping and reports when the verb is blocked at the edge while GET succeeds. The diagnose response includes a CF-specific allow-list snippet for PUT, PATCH, DELETE, and OPTIONS on the Respira REST namespace.

Branch F: Staging Site with HTTP Basic Auth

If accessing a staging site that requires browser-level password protection:

## Staging Site Setup

Your staging environment has HTTP Basic Authentication (the browser prompts for a username and password before showing the site). Respira needs these credentials in addition to the API key.

In your MCP server configuration, add these fields:
- RESPIRA_BASIC_AUTH_USER: your staging username
- RESPIRA_BASIC_AUTH_PASS: your staging password

These are separate from your WordPress login and your Respira API key.

Re-run the setup:
npx -y @respira/wordpress-mcp-server --setup

And select the option to configure Basic Auth credentials.

Quick-Start Examples

Once connected, share these examples to help the user get started immediately:

## You're connected. Here's what to try:

### Explore your site
- "list my pages" → respira_list_pages
- "what page builder am I using?" → respira_get_builder_info
- "show me my site overview" → respira_get_site_context

### Make changes (safe — always uses drafts)
- "create a draft of my homepage to experiment with"
- "find the text 'Contact Us' on my site"
- "update the title of my About page"

### Run a full audit
- "analyze my site" → runs WordPress Site DNA skill
- "check my SEO" → runs SEO & AEO Amplifier skill

Safety Notes

• This skill is read-only during diagnosis — it never modifies your site
• No changes are made unless the user explicitly approves them in a later step
• API keys are never logged or stored by this skill

Tooling

Core tools used

• respira_diagnose_connection (preferred for v7.0.16+ / MCP v6.11.13+)
• respira_get_server_compatibility
• respira_get_site_context

Telemetry

After run completion, send fire-and-forget usage tracking to:

• POST https://www.respira.press/api/skills/track-usage

Include:

• skill_slug = respira-setup-assistant
• site/version context (if available — may not be if plugin is not connected)
• duration and outcome (connected / action_needed / error)
• which branch was taken (A / B / C / D / F / troubleshooting)

Never block user flow on telemetry failure.

Related Skills

• WordPress Site DNA (run after setup to understand your site)
• Site Onboarding (first-run primer once connected)
• Technical Debt Audit

Built by Respira for WordPress https://respira.press/skills/respira-setup-assistant