Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about Claude CMS — how it works, what you need, and what makes it different.
Technical details, architecture decisions, requirements, and integration specifics for Claude CMS.
About Claude CMS
What is Claude CMS?
Claude CMS is a content management system designed to be fully operated by Claude AI. It connects to your website through a secure connector, giving Claude the ability to create pages, write CSS, manage files, run database queries, and deploy changes — all through natural conversation in Claude.ai.
A PHP/MySQL CMS that exposes full site operations via Anthropic's MCP (Model Context Protocol). The MCP server (mcp.php) implements JSON-RPC with 15+ typed tool endpoints covering pages CRUD, filesystem I/O, SQL execution, navigation, settings, and backup management. Claude invokes these tools based on natural language prompts.
How is it different from WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace?
Traditional platforms give you a dashboard with buttons, menus, and drag-and-drop builders. Claude CMS replaces all of that with conversation. Instead of learning a dashboard, you describe what you want and Claude builds it. There are no themes, no page builders, no plugin ecosystems. Every site is custom-built by Claude.
No admin UI, no theme engine, no plugin architecture. The entire management interface is the MCP protocol — Claude reads and writes directly to the database and filesystem. Output is hand-written HTML/CSS/PHP, not template-rendered shortcodes. Zero abstraction layers between Claude and your production server.
What is MCP?
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is the technology that lets Claude connect to external tools and services. It's built into Claude.ai and supported on Claude Pro, Max, and Team plans. The Claude CMS connector gives Claude a set of tools it can use during your conversation to build and manage your website.
MCP is Anthropic's open protocol for LLM tool-use integrations. It uses JSON-RPC over HTTP with a standard schema definition. Claude CMS implements an MCP server that advertises tool schemas (name, description, input JSON Schema) and executes tool calls via authenticated POST requests. Compatible with Claude.ai, Claude Desktop, and any MCP-compliant client.
Is Claude CMS a website builder or a CMS?
Builder or CMS?
Both. Claude uses it to build your initial site (like a website builder), but it also manages your content, files, and database ongoing (like a CMS). You can come back anytime and tell Claude to update pages, add features, change the design, or create new content.
Both. Initial scaffolding (pages, theme, config, integrations) happens through the same MCP tools as day-2 operations (content updates, CSS tweaks, schema migrations, new endpoints). There's no distinction between "build" and "manage" — it's all tool calls.
What you need
Do I need a Claude account?
For the Managed plan — no. We handle everything including the Claude interaction. For the Setup + Monthly and Monthly only plans, you'll need a paid Claude account (Pro, Max, or Team) which supports MCP connectors. Claude Pro costs $20/month (~£16) from claude.ai.
Managed plan — no, we operate Claude on your behalf. Self-service plans require Claude Pro ($20/mo), Max, or Team — any plan that supports MCP integrations under Settings → Integrations. Free-tier Claude does not support MCP.
What hosting do I need?
Any standard web hosting that supports PHP and MySQL. Shared hosting, VPS, or dedicated — Claude CMS is lightweight and works on the most basic setup. We recommend hosts like SiteGround, Krystal, or similar UK providers.
PHP 7.4+ (8.x recommended), MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB 10.3+, mod_rewrite enabled, cURL extension. Runs on shared hosting (cPanel), VPS, or dedicated. ~5MB disk footprint. No Composer, no CLI access required.
Do I need to know how to code?
Do I need to understand the codebase?
No. That's the entire point. You communicate with Claude in plain English and Claude handles all the technical work. You don't need to understand any of the underlying technology.
No, but it helps. Claude generates all the code, but understanding PHP/HTML/CSS/SQL lets you review output, debug edge cases, and make manual tweaks. The codebase is intentionally simple and readable — no framework magic.
Can I use my existing domain?
Yes. Claude CMS installs on your hosting, so you can use any domain that points to your server. If you're migrating from another platform, we can help set up the transition.
Yes. Point your domain's A record (or CNAME) to your hosting server. Claude CMS uses .htaccess rewrite rules to route /claude/* paths. Can coexist with WordPress or other apps on the same server.
Your data, your control
What happens if I cancel my subscription?
Your website and all content remain yours — all the files and data are on your server. The site still works as a website. You just lose the ability to manage it through Claude. You can re-subscribe anytime, or edit the files directly.
The site continues to serve pages — index.php renders from the DB regardless of license status. You lose MCP tool access (the connector returns 403). Files, DB, and all generated PHP remain on disk. Re-subscribe to restore MCP access, or maintain the site manually.
Is my data secure?
Claude CMS runs entirely on your own hosting. We don't store your website content, files, or database. The connector simply checks your subscription is active, then Claude communicates directly with your server.
Self-hosted — no data leaves your server except the license validation call (sends API key, receives active/inactive). MCP traffic is direct between Claude.ai and your mcp.php endpoint over HTTPS. We never see your page content, files, or database.
Who owns the website Claude builds?
You do. Everything Claude creates — the pages, the design, the code, the database — lives on your server and belongs to you. There's no lock-in.
You own all generated output. HTML, CSS, PHP, SQL schemas, and config files are on your server. No proprietary binary, no encrypted templates, no obfuscated code. Everything is human-readable source that you can fork, modify, or migrate.
Are there automatic backups?
Yes. Every time Claude modifies a file, the previous version is automatically saved as a backup. You can ask Claude to list backups and restore any previous version.
Every file_write, file_delete, and file_rename creates a timestamped .bak file in the site directory. backup_list returns all backups (filterable by path). backup_restore swaps the current file with the backup (backing up the current version first).
What Claude can do
Can Claude set up Stripe payments?
Yes. Claude can create payment checkout pages, handle automatic order processing, set up subscription billing, and build customer management features. It writes the necessary server-side code directly — no extra software needed.
Yes. Claude generates PHP endpoints using Stripe's REST API via cURL — Checkout Sessions, webhook signature verification (HMAC-SHA256 with v1 scheme), subscription lifecycle events, and metadata-driven fulfilment. No Stripe PHP SDK required.
Can Claude handle email/contact forms?
Yes. Claude can set up contact forms with email notifications. It creates the form, the processing behind it, and stores submissions in your database — all in one conversation.
Yes. SMTP integration via native PHP sockets (TLS on port 587, STARTTLS handshake). Custom MIME construction for HTML emails. Form submissions stored in a custom DB table with honeypot spam filtering and rate limiting.
Can I upload images?
Image uploads are handled through your hosting's file manager or FTP. Claude can reference images in your pages once they're on the server. Direct image upload through the connector is on the roadmap.
Currently, upload images via cPanel File Manager, FTP, or SSH. Claude references them by path in HTML/CSS. The MCP spec supports binary upload but the current implementation is text-only. Binary file support is planned.
Can Claude build an online store?
Can Claude build a full e-commerce stack?
Yes. Claude can create product pages, set up payment processing, integrate shipping, and build order management. It's a complete online store without needing Shopify, WooCommerce, or any other platform.
Yes. Product pages in the CMS, Stripe Checkout for payments, webhook-driven order fulfilment, customer table with API key provisioning, Royal Mail Click & Drop for shipping, and admin dashboard for order management. All generated PHP — no e-commerce framework.
Still have questions?
Get in touch and we'll walk you through everything. No pressure, no sales pitch — just honest answers.
Need specifics on architecture, hosting requirements, or integration capabilities? Get in touch.