The lexicon
No families match.
Minn needs to speak the language WordPress software uses with hosts, plugins, and tools. It does not need to implement every word that software speaks.
WordPress software is a language with three audiences. The engine answers two of them. The third belongs to Minn Admin. This file is the policy the inventory in contracts/api/ does not have: which families Minn implements, which it recognizes so plugins can load, and which it will never host.
Agents read this before adding a runtime symbol. An inventory with no mute list reads as a to-do. That is how /wp-admin/ chrome keeps getting pulled in.
Three audiences
| Audience | What WordPress says to them | Minn |
|---|---|---|
| Tooling | schema, wp-config.php, wp/v2, WP-CLI, probes | Speak. This is Tier 1. |
| Plugin PHP | hooks, options, WP_Query, $wpdb, register_rest_route | Speak enough that unmodified plugins load. This is Tier 2. |
| Humans in a browser | /wp-admin/ chrome, list tables, meta boxes, dashboard, Customizer, Gutenberg app | Mute. Minn Admin is the only UI. |
/wp-admin/ is not a Minn surface. The path exists so monitors do not 404: it 302s to /minn-admin/. Nothing behind it is rendered.
Three statuses
| Status | Meaning | Test |
|---|---|---|
| Speak | Implement at oracle parity (or a documented subset). Fixture plus live diff. | A host, a backup tool, Minn Admin, or a front-end plugin cannot tell. |
| Hear | Recognize, record, stub, redirect, or refuse honestly. Enough that plugin load does not fatal. No product UI. | A plugin that calls it at init still loads. A human never sees a WordPress screen. |
| Mute | Named refusal. Do not implement. Do not host. An adapter, a 302, a 403, or a 404 is the answer. | The name stays in data/placeholder-symbols.json. It does not graduate into real wp-api/ just to shrink the skip list. |
The load-bearing split is admin registration (Hear) versus admin UI (Mute). Plugins call add_menu_page during admin_menu. The engine records the row. It never paints .wrap. Minn Admin adapters own the human surface.
"Any plugin just works" means front end and data. It does not mean the plugin's PHP settings form appears.
How a name graduates
A placeholder becomes real wp-api/ only when all three are true:
- A front or REST plugin needs non-neutral behaviour.
- Minn Admin (or CLI / ops) already owns the human UI for that job.
- The implementation lives in
src/Minn/with a thin facade, not a wp-admin screen.
If the only caller is wp-admin/includes/* or a plugin's admin_menu callback, leave the placeholder. PlaceholderTrace (the opt-in log at wp-content/minn-placeholder-trace.log) is how to prove that.
The name lists:
- Speak names the symbol gate counts:
public/minn/data/api-names.json - Hear names that exist as stubs:
public/minn/data/placeholder-symbols.json(the generator skips any namewp-api/now writes by hand) - Mute names must not leave that stub file without passing the three tests above
contracts/api/*.json is the dictionary of words WordPress speaks. This file is the Minn column.
Speak
Families the engine implements. Subset gaps live in the linked contract, not here.
Operational contract (Tier 1)
| Family | WordPress words | Minn | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portable site unit | wp_* tables, wp-content/, dumps | Read and write the live schema. Tolerate serialized blobs forever. Extra plugin tables unread (preflight AMBER). | (planned schema/; used via Minn\Db) |
| Boot / file layout | index.php, wp-config.php, wp-settings.php, wp-includes/version.php | Shape files only. wp-config.php untouched. Engine boots from wp-settings.php → minn/bootstrap.php. No wp-load.php on disk. | layout.md |
REST wp/v2 | posts, pages, types, statuses, taxonomies, terms, users, comments, media, search, settings, plugins, themes, menus, menu items and locations, navigation, templates, template parts, global styles, blocks, block types, widgets, sidebars, revisions, autosaves, application-passwords; batch/v1; wp-abilities/v1 | Core routes Minn Admin and tooling call. Plugin routes via register_rest_route. | rest/*.md |
| Auth | cookies, session_tokens, wp_rest nonce, $wp$ hashes, capabilities | Cross-accepted both directions. | rest/auth.md, rest/caps.md |
| Login endpoint | wp-login.php | Probe, session, registration and password-reset surface, with plugins' login hooks. Human page is /minn-admin/login. Bare GET 302s there. | rest/auth.md |
| Permalinks | permalink_structure, ?p=, archives, _wp_old_slug | Resolver plus every link field. | front/permalinks.md |
| Feeds / sitemaps / probes | /feed/, /wp-sitemap.xml, robots.txt, wp-cron.php | Byte-level where the contract says so. | front/probes.md |
| Block render | post_content block markup, content.rendered | Engine parser and renderer. Block templates are read as data. | blocks.md, front/theme.md |
| Block themes | theme.json, templates/, parts/, wp_template* | Read as data. | front/theme.md |
| Classic PHP themes | get_header(), PHP template hierarchy | Hierarchy, wp_head defaults, live body parity. | front/classic.md |
| WP-CLI ops | option, user, plugin list/install/update/activate/delete/search, theme list/install/update/activate/delete/search, rewrite flush/structure, maintenance-mode, db, search-replace, wp minn * | before_wp_load verbs plus WP-CLI's own config/db. Every other command, a plugin's own included, runs on the engine's runtime. | cli.md |
| Cron / mail | due future posts, wp-cron.php, wp_mail, password reset | Engine runner. Due cron option events fire on every trigger. wp_mail runs on the engine's own PHPMailer. | cron-mail.md |
| Install / eject | five-minute install, core files on disk | minn install / eject. Not install.php. | docs/install.md |
Runtime, plugin PHP (Tier 2)
| Family | WordPress words | Minn | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hooks + lifecycle | add_action, add_filter, muplugins_loaded → wp_loaded, wp_head, the_content | Clean-room hook engine. Observed order. | runtime.md, api/lifecycle.json |
| Options / transients / cache | get_option, set_transient, object cache | Decoded without unserialize(). | runtime.md |
| Posts / query / terms / types | WP_Query, wp_insert_post, register_post_type, WP_Term | Facade over src/Minn/. | runtime.md |
| Users / caps / meta | WP_User, current_user_can, get_user_meta | Same identity stack as REST. | runtime.md, rest/caps.md |
$wpdb / dbDelta | $wpdb->prepare, dbDelta | Always present (the gate cannot see $wpdb). | runtime.md |
| Media API | wp_get_attachment_image_src, subsizes, srcset | GD. Imagick is not used. | runtime.md, rest/media.md |
| REST registration | register_rest_route, WP_REST_Server, rest_do_request | Plugin routes after the engine's. In-process wp/v2 hits the engine. | runtime.md |
| Blocks API | register_block_type, parse_blocks, block.json, render_block | Two-way bridge with the engine renderer. | runtime.md, blocks.md |
| Shortcodes / assets / i18n | add_shortcode, wp_enqueue_script, __() | Shortcodes after the engine pipeline. jQuery is MIT, ours. Text domains load from .mo and .l10n.php files. | runtime.md |
| HTTP / cron API | wp_remote_get, wp_schedule_event, WpOrg\Requests | The engine's own HTTP client, the Requests library included; option-shaped cron. | runtime.md |
| HTML API | WP_HTML_Tag_Processor, WP_HTML_Processor | Maps to Minn\Html\Tags. WP_HTML_Processor builds the reference's tree. | runtime.md |
admin-ajax.php | wp_ajax_{action}, wp_ajax_nopriv_{action}, heartbeat | Runs plugins' handlers as WordPress does. is_admin() is true there. | runtime.md |
| Widgets | WP_Widget, register_widget, the default widgets | Render in classic sidebars at the reference's output. | runtime.md |
| Rewrite rules | add_rewrite_rule, add_rewrite_endpoint, $wp->query_vars | Plugin rules and endpoints resolve requests. $wp holds the reference's request parse. | runtime.md |
| Interactivity | directives, script modules | Engine's own JS at /minn/assets/*.js. Editor packages are not provided. | runtime.md |
Minn Admin (the human UI)
| Family | Words | Minn | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admin SPA | /minn-admin/, window.MINN, minn-admin/v1 | Engine serves the shell and the namespace. The app is the plugin. | minn-admin.md, rest/minn-admin-v1.md |
| Front bar | signed-in editor bar on themed pages | Engine's own bar, not the WordPress admin bar. | minn-admin.md |
Hear
Recognized so plugins boot. Never a screen.
| Family | WordPress words | What Minn does | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admin menu registration | add_menu_page, add_submenu_page, add_*_page, $menu | Records the row. Returns the reference's hook name. | Does not render a menu or host admin.php?page=. |
| Settings API (registration) | register_setting, add_settings_section, add_settings_field | Records. Markup helpers are pinned so a callback that builds HTML does not fatal. | Does not serve options-general.php. Minn Admin Settings is the UI. |
| Meta boxes / dashboard widgets | add_meta_box, wp_add_dashboard_widget | Stores {id, title, callback}. | Does not paint meta boxes or the dashboard. |
is_admin() | is_admin(), WP_Screen | A request flag. False on public pages and on /minn-admin/; true on admin-ajax.php, as on WordPress. | Does not become true just so plugin admin-only code runs. |
admin-post.php | form POST sink | Named stub. | Not a form host. |
| File skeleton | wp-includes/.php, wp-admin/includes/.php | One-line placeholders so require ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/includes/…' does not fatal. Gitignored. | Not WordPress source. Not a load path. |
admin_url() | URL builder | Returns /wp-admin/… strings plugins write into data. | Those URLs 302 to Minn Admin. They are not screens. |
| Customizer classes | WP_Customize_Manager and its controls | Exist so plugins construct them. | Nothing is served. |
IXR_Client | Jetpack connection plumbing | Inert placeholder. | Out of scope (2026-08-30). |
Mute
Never implement as a product. Minn Admin already covers the daily jobs. The rest is a 302, a 403, a preflight flag, or an adapter.
/wp-admin/ as a product
The path 302s. These families are the screens behind it. None of them are coming.
| Family | WordPress screens | Minn Admin counterpart |
|---|---|---|
| Admin chrome | admin.php, admin-header.php, menu.php, load-scripts.php, load-styles.php | The SPA shell. No .wrap, no Dashicons, no wp-admin CSS. |
| Dashboard | index.php, About / Credits / Freedoms | /minn-admin/overview |
| Posts / pages / CPTs | edit.php, post.php, post-new.php, edit-form-advanced.php, edit-form-blocks.php, revision.php | /minn-admin/content + /editor/{type}/{id} |
| Comments | edit-comments.php, comment.php | /minn-admin/comments |
| Terms | edit-tags.php, term.php | /minn-admin/terms |
| Media library chrome | upload.php, media.php, media-upload.php, async-upload.php, Thickbox, Plupload | /minn-admin/media over wp/v2/media. No iframe uploader. |
| Appearance: themes | themes.php, theme-install.php, theme-editor.php | Extensions → Themes. Theme file editor is mute (a footgun). |
| Customizer | customize.php, WP_Customize_*, custom-header.php, custom-background.php | Identity, logo, homepage, language, Design (Additional CSS) in Settings. Other theme mods stay a link-out on WordPress; on the engine they are absent. |
| Site Editor (FSE app) | site-editor.php, edit-site JS | Mute SPA. Saved wp_template / wp_template_part / wp_navigation are front data (Speak). |
| Widgets screen | widgets.php | /minn-admin/widgets on classic themes only. |
| Nav menus screen | nav-menus.php | /minn-admin/menus on classic themes; wp/v2/menus as data. |
| Plugins screens | plugins.php, plugin-install.php, plugin-editor.php | /minn-admin/extensions. On the engine: no wp.org plugin search; zip-URL / GitHub / minn.json only. Plugin file editor is mute. |
| Users / profile screens | users.php, user-edit.php, profile.php, authorize-application.php | /minn-admin/users, /profile. Application-password routes are Speak; the grant screen is mute. |
| Settings screens | options-general.php, writing, reading, discussion, media, permalinks, privacy | /minn-admin/settings tabs (Site, Visibility, Homepage, Content, Comments, Design). |
| Tools / import / export / GDPR | tools.php, import.php, export.php, export-personal-data.php, erase-personal-data.php | System Tools card is a link-out on WordPress. Hidden on the engine. |
| Site Health screens | site-health.php, site-health-info.php | /minn-admin/system health checks. Full Site Health UI is mute. |
| Updates UI | update-core.php, update.php, upgrader skins | Extensions + Update everything. No upgrader iframe. |
| Install / repair wizards | install.php, setup-config.php, upgrade.php | minn install. |
| Links / blogroll | link-manager.php | Dead product. Mute. |
| Multisite | network.php, wp-admin/network/*, wp-signup.php, wp-activate.php | Out of scope. Single-site only. |
Other mute product families
| Family | What WordPress ships | Minn stance |
|---|---|---|
| XML-RPC / pingback / trackback | xmlrpc.php, IXR_*, wp-trackback.php | GET 405, POST 403. No server, no client. |
| Gutenberg editor JS | edit-post, block-editor, block-library JS, @wordpress/* editor packages | Minn Admin's own editor. Do not ship those packages. |
| Classic editor / TinyMCE / Quicktags | wp_editor(), js/tinymce/ | wp_editor stays a placeholder. |
| Dashicons + wp-admin CSS | dashicons, color schemes | No GPL assets. A REST dashicons- string* on a type is interface, not the font. |
| Heartbeat / pointers / WP admin bar | heartbeat.js, wp-pointer, default admin bar | People see only the Minn bar. WP_Admin_Bar and heartbeat are real for plugins. Pointers are mute. |
| CodeMirror file editors | theme-editor, plugin-editor | Mute. |
| wordpress.org directory / upgrader | themes_api, WP_Upgrader*, language-pack download UI | Mute as product. Themes search on the engine is a deliberate exception (themes are data the front renders). |
| Filesystem credentials modal | FTP/SSH prompt | direct only. No modal. |
| Press This / mail-by-post / OPML | press-this.php, wp-mail.php, wp-links-opml.php | Mute. Files absent. |
| WooCommerce-shaped sites | orders, products, Woo admin | Out of scope for years. Brochure, forms, and content are the tractable slice. |
| Plugin settings pages | add_options_page callbacks, admin.php?page= | Hear the registration. Mute the host. Adapter, or the page does not exist. |
Names that stay placeholders
Do not implement these in wp-api/ to shrink Plugins::skipped(). They are WordPress product chrome.
List tables / screen chrome: WP_List_Table, _get_list_table, list_meta, post_tags_meta_box.
Media upload chrome (not wp/v2/media): media_upload_header, media_send_to_editor.
Classic / iframe editor: wp_editor, _wp_get_iframed_editor_assets, get_block_editor_server_block_settings, get_default_block_editor_settings.
Admin CSS / color schemes: wp_admin_css, wp_admin_css_color.
Upgrader / zip / file-mod UI: WP_Upgrader, WP_Upgrader_Skin, File_Upload_Upgrader, PclZip, themes_api, find_core_update, wp_version_check, wp_update_plugins, wp_update_themes, unzip_file.
XML-RPC client: IXR_Client, IXR_Error, IXR_Message, IXR_Request.
Theme file editor: wp_get_theme_file_editable_extensions.
Some admin helpers plugins call for data were made real once probes captured what WordPress returns: post states, hidden meta boxes, postbox classes, column headers, quick-edit data, comment hotkeys, the importer registry, delete_plugins, the admin bar's init and WP_Block_Editor_Context. They return what WordPress returns and still paint no screen.
Most of the placeholders that were data have graduated: WP_User_Query, meta-by-mid, WP_Theme_JSON, the POMO Translations and MO classes, and WP_HTML_Processor. The REST controllers plugins subclass and the POMO_*Reader classes are still placeholders and may graduate under the three tests. They are not mute chrome.
Agent checklist
Before adding code for a WordPress word:
- Which audience is it for: tooling, plugin PHP, or a human in a browser?
- If a human in a browser: stop. Point at Minn Admin, or name the gap in Minn Admin. Do not build
/wp-admin/. - If plugin PHP that only runs on
admin_menu/admin_initto paint a screen: Hear (record / stub). Do not host. - If tooling or front-end plugin PHP: Speak. Capture from the oracle, implement from the capture, pin a suite.
- Never graduate a mute name out of
placeholder-symbols.jsonto make the symbol gate go green.