Md. Rakib Ullah

Running a Headless WordPress site often involves exposing the REST API. Headless REST API Security provides tools for administrators to control which endpoints are accessible to the public or external applications.
This plugin restricts public access to REST API endpoints by default and offers a settings interface to allow-list only the specific routes required by a frontend application (such as Next.js, Gatsby, or mobile apps).
<h3>Features</h3>
<ul>
<li>Access Control: Restrict default public access to REST API endpoints.</li>
<li>Route Allow-Listing: Specific API routes (e.g., <code>/wp/v2/posts</code>) can be enabled while others remain restricted.</li>
<li>API Key Authentication: Supports an <code>X-API-KEY</code> header for server-to-server or frontend requests.</li>
<li>Headless Redirect: Option to redirect users accessing the backend API URL to a specified frontend domain.</li>
<li>Admin Access: Logged-in Administrators and Editors retain access to the API to support the Block Editor (Gutenberg) functionality.</li>
<li>Plugin Support: Detects routes registered by third-party plugins for configuration.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Usage</h3>
<ol>
<li>Navigate to Settings > Headless Security in the WordPress dashboard.</li>
<li>Enable the Master Switch to activate the access restrictions.</li>
<li>Review the list of REST API routes and check the Allow box for endpoints the application requires.</li>
<li>Copy the generated API Key for use in application headers.</li>
<li>(Optional) Enter a Headless Frontend URL to configure redirects for visitors.</li>
</ol>

Headless REST API Security

Excellent plugin! Secures my headless WordPress API quickly and easily. Works perfectly with Next.js and mobile apps

Best Plugin for Securing Headless WordPress

Manage access to the WordPress REST API by restricting public endpoints, enabling specific route allow-listing, and handling API key authentication.

Benjamin Intal

gambitph

Using WordPress entirely as a CMS (a <a href="https://medium.com/@jchiatt/headless-wordpress-with-react-d573bca02ee0" rel="nofollow ugc">Headless WordPress</a>) is a plausible option for people building web apps using technologies such as React JS or Angular JS to entirely build their front-end.
Doing this, the front-end (e.g. built with React) becomes decoupled from the back-end (e.g. WordPress). Since WordPress is being used strictly to manage and serve the content via REST API, the WP front-end becomes unusable and unnecessary – hence the term “headless WordPress”.
This plugin essentially removes the front-end of WordPress.
<blockquote>
Note that the REST API, and other non-front-end stuff should work as normal.
</blockquote>
<h4>Features</h4>
<ul>
<li>No settings page</li>
<li>Allows backend access</li>
<li>Allows REST API endpoints</li>
<li>Redirects (403 Forbidden) all front-end pages to the login page</li>
</ul>

Redirect Front-end to Login | Headless WP

Redirects all front-end pages to the login page, best for building a headless WP REST API backend

Headless REST API Security vs Redirect Front-end to Login | Headless WP