---
title: "Quick Start"
description: "Step-by-step guide to installing and configuring CognitiveCart for WooCommerce. Verify the UCP manifest at /.well-known/ucp and optionally connect Stripe for AI-facilitated checkout."
url: "https://docs.cognitivecartplugin.com/getting-started/quick-start/"
---
## Requirements

CognitiveCart requires:

*   **WordPress** 6.0 or later
*   **WooCommerce** 8.0 or later
*   PHP 7.4 or later

## Install the plugin

**Install and activate WooCommerce** if you haven’t already. CognitiveCart depends on WooCommerce for products, cart, and checkout.

**Install CognitiveCart** from the main site or your preferred source. Upload and activate the plugin from the WordPress admin under **Plugins → Add New** (or install via zip upload).

**Flush rewrite rules** so the UCP manifest URL is registered. Go to **Settings → Permalinks** and click **Save Changes** (no need to change any settings).

## Verify the UCP manifest

Once the plugin is active, the UCP manifest is served automatically at:

```
https://your-site.com/.well-known/ucp
```

Open that URL in a browser or with `curl`. You should see a JSON object describing your store’s capabilities (e.g. `abilitiesEndpoint`, and when Stripe is connected, `checkoutCreateSessionEndpoint` and `checkoutCompleteUrlTemplate`). No configuration is required for discovery—AI crawlers use this URL to find your store.

If you see a 404, ensure permalinks are not set to “Plain” and that you flushed rewrite rules (Settings → Permalinks → Save).

## Optional: Connect Stripe

For AI-facilitated checkout (agents or chat completing purchases), you need Stripe Connect and the CognitiveCart Worker configured. In the WordPress admin, go to **CognitiveCart → Connectivity** and follow the steps to connect your Stripe account. The Worker URL is preconfigured; override it in `wp-config.php` if you use a custom Worker.

Until Stripe is connected, the UCP manifest and Abilities API still expose discovery and cart abilities; only checkout session creation and completion require Stripe.

## Next steps

Explore the [UCP Manifest](../../features/ucp-manifest/) and [Abilities API](../../features/abilities-api/) to see what agents can do, and the [Intelligence Dashboard](../../features/intelligence-dashboard/) to monitor crawl health and UCP status.