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DK Headless API icon
Maintained Tested up to 7.0.6 #92 in cms

DK Headless API

Turns WordPress into a controlled Headless CMS with custom REST routes, rate limiting, and caching.

Active installs<10New
Downloads · 30d56▲ +24.4% vs prev. 30d
Rating—0 reviews
Health score49/100Fair
All-time downloads229Since Jun 2026
Support resolved—No recent threads
RequiresWP 6.0PHP 8.0+
Downloads · 7d14▲ +40% week over week
Our verdict

Use with caution

DK Headless API works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. Was last updated 3 months ago, and scores 49/100 on our health check.

  • Small user base (<10 active installs)
  • Very few reviews so far

How does it stack up?

Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support

Daily downloads

123Jul 4Aug 17Oct 1
Yesterday4
Daily average (1y)3
Peak day41Jun 29, 2026
Last 12 months239

Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.

Rankings

Where DK Headless API stands today

WordPress.org search rankings

Live position in the plugin search, top 100
KeywordPositionCompeting pluginsCategory
cms >100 901 Best cms plugins →
headless #67 471 Best headless plugins →
nextjs #8 16 Best nextjs plugins →
react >100 1,656 Best react plugins →
rest-api >100 7,484 Best rest-api plugins →

About DK Headless API

From the official readme · v1.0.1

Description

DK API transforms WordPress into a clean, controlled API backend by disabling the frontend theme layer entirely, selectively removing default WP REST API routes, and registering a clean, versioned custom REST namespace.

Core Features

  • Fully disables the WordPress frontend.
  • Preserves Gutenberg compatibility while removing unnecessary endpoints.
  • Exposes clean endpoints for Posts, Pages, Categories, Taxonomies, and Menus.
  • Built-in structured block parsing for WordPress 7.0 readiness.
  • Resolves Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) natively in API responses.

Installation

  1. Upload the plugin folder to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory, or install the plugin through the WordPress plugins screen directly.
  2. Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ screen in WordPress.
  3. Configure the plugin in the Settings > DK Headless API menu.

Frequently asked questions

Does this disable the WP Admin?

No, the WP Admin and Gutenberg editors remain fully functional. Only the frontend is disabled (returning 410 Gone or custom message).

Changelog

1.0.0

  • Initial release.

Full changelog on WordPress.org →

Screenshots

General Settings Dashboard: Toggle the frontend disabler, configure CORS headers, and view active API routes.
General Settings Dashboard: Toggle the frontend disabler, configure CORS headers, and…
API Authentication Tab: Enforce secure access, generate secure API keys, and manage client permissions.
API Authentication Tab: Enforce secure access, generate secure API keys, and manage…
Content Exposure: Control exactly which default endpoints and Custom Post Types are exposed publicly.
Content Exposure: Control exactly which default endpoints and Custom Post Types are…
Cache & Rate Limiting Settings: Optimize performance using transient caching and daily request limit metrics.
Cache & Rate Limiting Settings: Optimize performance using transient caching and daily…
Exposed APIs Reference Table: View the full list of active endpoint URLs generated by your exposure settings.
Exposed APIs Reference Table: View the full list of active endpoint URLs generated by…

For developers

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Active installs badge Rating badge Health score badge

Best DK Headless API alternatives

All cms plugins →
Alternatives
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10 Page Excerpt Page Excerpt This plugin adds the same functionality of the excerpt feature in posts to pages. by Jeremy Massel 3K+ ★★★★★★★★★★ 5 (10) 9 years ago 40

FAQ

DK Headless API: quick answers

Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.

Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 2, 2026

Is DK Headless API free?

Yes. DK Headless API is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.

Is DK Headless API safe to use in 2026?

DK Headless API works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. Was last updated 3 months ago, and scores 49/100 on our health check.

How many websites use DK Headless API?

DK Headless API is active on <10 WordPress websites and has been downloaded 229 times since it launched in June 2026. It was downloaded 56 times in the last 30 days.

Does DK Headless API work with WordPress 7.1?

DK Headless API is officially tested up to WordPress 7.0.6, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.

What PHP version does DK Headless API need?

DK Headless API requires PHP 8.0 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.

When was DK Headless API last updated?

The latest version, 1.0.1, was released on June 30, 2026 (3 months ago).

Who makes DK Headless API?

DK Headless API is developed and maintained by digitized kosmos.

What are the best alternatives to DK Headless API?

The most popular alternatives to DK Headless API are White Label CMS (200K+ installs), List category posts (80K+ installs) and Cornerstone (20K+ installs).

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