seo/wordpress-plugins/rank-math-api-manager/docs/installation.md

Installation Guide - Rank Math API Manager Plugin

📋 Prerequisites

Before installing the Rank Math API Manager plugin, ensure you have:

• WordPress 5.0 or newer
• PHP 7.4 or newer
• Rank Math SEO plugin (installed and activated)
• Administrator access to your WordPress site

🚀 Installation Methods

Method 1: Manual Installation (Recommended)

Step 1: Download the Plugin

1. Visit the GitHub repository
2. Click the green "Code" button
3. Select "Download ZIP"
4. Extract the ZIP file to your local computer

Step 2: Upload to WordPress

1. Log in to your WordPress admin panel
2. Navigate to Plugins → Add New
3. Click "Upload Plugin" at the top of the page
4. Choose File and select the extracted plugin folder
5. Click "Install Now"
6. Activate the plugin when prompted

Method 2: FTP Installation

Step 1: Prepare the Files

1. Download the plugin from GitHub
2. Extract the ZIP file
3. Upload the rank-math-api-manager folder to /wp-content/plugins/

Step 2: Activate the Plugin

1. Log in to WordPress admin
2. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins
3. Find "Rank Math API Manager"
4. Click "Activate"

⚙️ Configuration

Step 1: Verify Installation

After activation, you should see:

• ✅ Plugin appears in the plugins list
• ✅ No error messages in WordPress admin
• ✅ REST API endpoints are available

Step 2: Test API Endpoints

Using cURL (Command Line)

# Test the API endpoint
curl -X POST "https://your-site.com/wp-json/rank-math-api/v1/update-meta" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded" \
  -H "Authorization: Basic [base64-encoded-credentials]" \
  -d "post_id=1&rank_math_title=Test Title"

Using Postman

1. Create a new POST request
2. URL: https://your-site.com/wp-json/rank-math-api/v1/update-meta
3. Headers:
   • Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
   • Authorization: Basic [base64-encoded-credentials]
4. Body (form-data):
   • post_id: 1
   • rank_math_title: Test Title

Step 3: Set Up Authentication

WordPress Application Passwords

1. Go to Users → Profile
2. Scroll to "Application Passwords"
3. Enter a name (e.g., "API Access")
4. Click "Add New Application Password"
5. Copy the generated password

Basic Auth Setup

# Encode credentials
echo -n "username:password" | base64

🔧 Integration Setup

n8n Workflow Integration

1. Add HTTP Request node to your n8n workflow
2. Configure the request:
   • Method: POST
   • URL: https://your-site.com/wp-json/rank-math-api/v1/update-meta
   • Headers: Add authentication headers
   • Body: Configure form data

Example n8n Configuration

{
  "method": "POST",
  "url": "https://your-site.com/wp-json/rank-math-api/v1/update-meta",
  "contentType": "form-urlencoded",
  "headers": {
    "Authorization": "Basic [base64-encoded-credentials]"
  },
  "bodyParameters": {
    "post_id": "={{ $('Post on Wordpress').first().json.id }}",
    "rank_math_title": "={{ $('Generate metatitle e metadescription').first().json.output.metatitle }}",
    "rank_math_description": "={{ $('Generate metatitle e metadescription').first().json.output.metadescription }}",
    "rank_math_focus_keyword": "={{ $('Generate metatitle e metadescription').first().json.output.metakeywords }}"
  }
}

🛡️ Security Configuration

1. Enable HTTPS

Ensure your WordPress site uses HTTPS for secure API communications.

2. Restrict API Access

• Use strong application passwords
• Limit API access to trusted applications
• Monitor API usage logs

3. WordPress Security

• Keep WordPress updated
• Use security plugins
• Enable two-factor authentication

🔍 Verification Steps

1. Check Plugin Status

1. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins
2. Verify "Rank Math API Manager" is Active
3. Check for any error messages

2. Test API Endpoint

# Test endpoint availability
curl -X GET "https://your-site.com/wp-json/rank-math-api/v1/update-meta"

Expected response: {"code":"rest_no_route","message":"No route was found matching the URL and request method","data":{"status":404}}

This confirms the endpoint exists but requires POST method.

3. Verify Permissions

1. Create a test post
2. Use the API to update its SEO metadata
3. Verify the changes appear in Rank Math

🐛 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Issue: "Plugin could not be activated"

Solution:

• Check PHP version (requires 7.4+)
• Verify WordPress version (requires 5.0+)
• Check for plugin conflicts

Issue: "401 Unauthorized" API errors

Solution:

• Verify application password is correct
• Check user permissions (edit_posts)
• Ensure authentication headers are properly formatted

Issue: "404 Not Found" API errors

Solution:

• Verify plugin is activated
• Check WordPress REST API is enabled
• Ensure URL is correct

Issue: "400 Bad Request" API errors

Solution:

• Verify post_id exists
• Check parameter formatting
• Ensure all required fields are provided

Debug Mode

Enable WordPress debug mode for detailed error messages:

// Add to wp-config.php
define('WP_DEBUG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);

📞 Support

If you encounter issues during installation:

1. Check the troubleshooting section above
2. Review WordPress error logs
3. Create a GitHub issue with detailed information
4. Contact support at devora.no

Required Information for Support

• WordPress version
• PHP version
• Plugin version
• Error messages
• Steps to reproduce the issue
• Screenshots (if applicable)

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Next Steps: After installation, see the API Documentation for detailed usage instructions.

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Last Updated: July 2025
Version: 1.0.6