Embed widgets.
Share dashboards.
Build with AI.
WCP is a lightweight open protocol for running containerised widgets inside any host application — with portable themes, distributable apps, and an AI-assisted build chain.
Three concepts. Infinite combinations.
The entire WCP ecosystem is built from three orthogonal ideas.
Widget
A Docker container that serves a compact UI at a known HTTP port. Stateless, sandboxed, and deployable anywhere Docker runs. The host embeds it in an iframe.
Docker · HTTP · iframeAgent
A native process on the host machine that extends widget capabilities — file access, OS APIs, process control. Widgets reach it via host.docker.internal.
Host
Any application that embeds widgets in a layout and routes postMessage themes and configuration to them. Penrith Beacon Design Studio is the reference host.
Four documents. Everything you need.
The WCP ecosystem is fully documented across four focused sites.
Protocol Specification
The canonical reference for the Widget Context Protocol. Covers all mandatory endpoints, the postMessage theme API, the widget manifest format, WCP versions, and the full CSS custom-property token set.
Portability Protocol
Defines how WCP artefacts are packaged and shared. The .wcpt theme portability format, the .wcpa application distributable, and the rules for portable widget configurations.
Developer Guide
Practical implementation reference for widget authors. Endpoint scaffolding, theme adoption patterns, the user theme management panel, worked examples, and compliance checklists.
AI Build & Release Guide
Paste a skill URL into any AI assistant and it's immediately oriented in the WCP ecosystem. Covers the full AI-powered pipeline from design through Docker Hub publication to GitHub Release.
Designed for the real world.
Six reasons teams choose WCP for their widget platform.
Docker-native
Every widget is a Docker container. Use any language or framework — if it serves HTTP, it's a WCP widget. Deploy anywhere Docker runs.
postMessage protocol
Themes and configuration are pushed to widgets via the browser's postMessage API. No polling, no shared state, no coupling between host and widget code.
Theme portability
81 CSS custom properties. One JSON object. Any WCP-compliant widget or website instantly adopts any theme. Share themes as tiny .wcpt files.
Distributable apps
A complete dashboard — widgets, layout, settings — ships as a single .wcpa application file. Recipients open it in any WCP host with one click.
AI-assisted pipeline
The WCP AI skill chain walks any AI coding assistant through design, build, test, and release. From idea to Docker Hub in a single AI session.
Open standard
WCP is free to implement. No licence, no registry, no lock-in. Build a host, build a widget, build a tool — the spec is the contract.
Your dashboard. In a file.
WCP defines two portable file formats so your work travels with you.
WCP Application
A complete dashboard snapshot — every widget, its layout, configuration, and settings — packaged into a single distributable file. Send a .wcpa to a colleague; they open it in Penrith Beacon and the entire application is live in seconds.
WCP Theme
A portable theme is just the 81 WCP CSS custom property values as JSON. Any WCP-compliant widget or website can receive and apply it instantly via postMessage or the theme engine. A complete theme is typically just a few kilobytes.
Choose your path.
Pick the right starting point for what you want to build.
Build a widget
Paste one URL into your AI assistant and it walks you through the entire design, build, and release pipeline for a Docker-based WCP widget.
AI guide → ai.widgetcontextprotocol.com ↗Build an agent
Extend a widget with host-native capabilities. The AI skill chain covers design, macOS packaging as a .pkg installer, and release via GitHub Releases.
Explore the spec
Read the full protocol specification — mandatory endpoints, the theme token set, manifest format, version history, and compliance requirements.
Specification → wcp.widgetcontextprotocol.com ↗