MCP Tasks

Name: MCP Tasks
Author: flesler

@flesler

关于 MCP Tasks

A comprehensive and efficient Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for task management that works seamlessly with Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients. Designed to minimize tool confusion and maximize LLM budget efficiency while providing powerful search, filtering, and organizat

#mcp #task #management #llm #model-context-protocol #ai #claude #cursor #todo #productivity

基本信息

分类

AI 与智能体

传输方式

stdio

发布者

flesler

提交者

Ariel Flesler

配置

使用下面的配置,将此服务器添加到你的 MCP 客户端。

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-tasks": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mcp-tasks"
      ]
    }
  }
}

工具

Initializes a source from a file path. It must be absolute. Creates file if it does not exist. Returns the source ID for further use

Search tasks from specific statuses with optional text & ID filtering

Add new tasks with a specific status. It's faster and cheaper if you use this in batch, add all at once

Update tasks by ID to a different status. It's faster and cheaper if you use this in batch, update all at once

Get count of tasks in each status and the work-in-progress tasks

概览

What is MCP Tasks?

MCP Tasks is a Model Context Protocol server for task management, designed to work with Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients. It minimizes tool confusion and maximizes LLM budget efficiency by providing only five tools, batch operations, and smart defaults. It supports Markdown, JSON, and YAML task files and offers powerful search, filtering, and organization capabilities.

How to use MCP Tasks?

Install via npx (npx -y mcp-tasks) or Docker (docker run --rm -i flesler/mcp-tasks). Add the configuration to your MCP client (e.g., Cursor's mcp.json or Claude Desktop's claude_desktop_config.json). The server provides five tools: tasks_setup, tasks_search, tasks_add, tasks_update, and tasks_summary. Use environment variables to customize workflow statuses, transport mode, auto-WIP behavior, and more. A CLI is also available for quick task management without an AI client.

Key features of MCP Tasks

Ultra‑efficient design with only five tools to reduce AI confusion
Budget‑optimized with batch operations and smart defaults
Multi‑format support: Markdown, JSON, and YAML task files
Powerful case‑insensitive text/status filtering with OR logic
Auto‑WIP management that automatically limits work in progress
Ultra‑safe: AI cannot rewrite or delete tasks without explicit configuration

Use cases of MCP Tasks

Track project tasks and subtasks in a human-readable Markdown file
Manage customizable workflow states (To Do, In Progress, Done, etc.)
Integrate task management directly into AI-assisted coding sessions
Quickly add, search, and update tasks via CLI without interrupting AI operations
Maintain a structured task list that persists across sessions and tools

FAQ from MCP Tasks

What file formats does MCP Tasks support?

Markdown (.md), JSON (.json), and YAML (.yml) are supported. The format is auto‑detected from the file extension. Markdown is recommended for human readability.

How does auto‑WIP management work?

When AUTO_WIP is enabled (default), if a task is moved to the WIP status, all other WIP tasks are moved to To Do. If no WIP task exists, the first To Do task is moved to WIP. This can be disabled by setting AUTO_WIP=false.

Can the AI delete my tasks?

By default, AI tools can only add and move tasks; they cannot rewrite or delete them. Deletion can be enabled through configuration (e.g., setting KEEP_DELETED=false or allowing the tasks_update tool to use the “Deleted” status).

What transport modes are available?

The server supports stdio (default) and http transport. Set the TRANSPORT environment variable to http and optionally change the PORT (default 4680) for remote access.

How do I add tasks manually while the AI is working?

Use the CLI from a separate terminal: npx mcp-tasks add "Your task text" "To Do" 0. This safely adds tasks without interfering with the AI’s use of the tools.