Tool ID: update_taxonomy_term Since: v0.8.0

The Update Taxonomy Term tool allows AI agents to modify existing WordPress taxonomy terms. It supports updating core term fields and custom term metadata (meta).

Capabilities

• Core Fields: Update name, slug, description, and parent (for hierarchical taxonomies).
• Custom Meta: Update arbitrary term metadata (e.g., venue_address, venue_capacity, venue_website).
• Identifier Resolution: Resolves terms by ID, name, or slug.
• Security: Protects system taxonomies and underscore-prefixed meta keys from modification.

Parameters

Usage Examples

Updating a Venue Address

{
  "tool": "update_taxonomy_term",
  "parameters": {
    "term": "The Fillmore",
    "taxonomy": "venue",
    "meta": {
      "venue_address": "1805 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94115"
    }
  }
}

Renaming a Category

{
  "tool": "update_taxonomy_term",
  "parameters": {
    "term": "Old Category Name",
    "taxonomy": "category",
    "name": "New Category Name",
    "slug": "new-category-name"
  }
}

Best Practices

1. Find Before Update: Always use search_taxonomy_terms first to confirm the term exists and retrieve its current details.
2. Specific Meta Keys: Only update the specific meta keys required. Do not guess meta key names.
3. Identifier Selection: Prefer using the Term ID if available for the most reliable resolution.

Constraints

• Protected Meta: Meta keys starting with an underscore (_) are considered internal/private and cannot be updated via this tool.
• System Taxonomies: Certain WordPress core taxonomies or system-critical taxonomies may be blocked.
• Hierarchy: The parent parameter only works for taxonomies that are hierarchical (like categories).

Related Components

• TaxonomyHandler (/inc/Core/WordPress/TaxonomyHandler.php)
• search_taxonomy_terms tool
• create_taxonomy_term tool