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MCP integration

Let AI clients like Claude work with your tasks through the Model Context Protocol.

Todebaran can act as a local MCP server. MCP — the Model Context Protocol — is an open standard that lets AI apps connect to tools and data. Point an MCP client like Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor or any other at Todebaran, and it can read and act on your tasks, projects and more — right from the conversation.

This is different from the in-app AI

The in-app AI uses your own model to help you inside Todebaran. MCP is the reverse: it lets a separate AI client, running elsewhere, work with your Todebaran data.

Connect a client#

  1. Open Settings → AI Settings and find the MCP Server section.
  2. Press Copy to copy the ready-made configuration.
  3. Paste it into your AI client's MCP configuration (for example, Claude Desktop's config file) and restart the client.

The configuration is specific to your install and needs no separate Node setup — it runs through Todebaran's own bundled bridge.

Screenshot coming soon
Settings → AI Settings → MCP Server, with the copy button.

The app doesn't need to be open

When your client calls a tool, Todebaran starts in the background automatically — you don't have to launch it first. A background instance quits itself after a spell of inactivity.

What a connected client can do#

Tools — read and act#

A connected client gets a full set of tools:

  • Tasks — create, update, schedule, set a deadline, move, complete, delete, list, search and get details.
  • Projects, collections, tags, headings and countdowns — create, update, delete and list.
  • Journal entries — list, search, save and delete.

Resources — read-only snapshots#

It can also read current snapshots of your active tasks, projects, areas, shared spaces, collections, tags, slips, settings, headings, countdowns and journal.

Slips aren't exposed as MCP tools — create those in the app or with a deep link.

More capable than deep links#

Deep links can only add things, because any web page can fire one. An MCP client is something you set up and trust, so it gets the full toolset — including editing, completing and deleting. Connect only clients you trust with your data.

Privacy#

The MCP server runs only on your own Mac — it listens on localhost and is never exposed to the network. Your data stays local.

Keep in mind, though, that whatever your AI client reads is sent to that client's model provider as part of its conversation (for example, to Anthropic when you use Claude). Treat it like any other AI use.

Example prompts#

Once connected, you can just ask your AI client:

  • "Add a task to call the vet tomorrow."
  • "What's overdue in my Work project?"
  • "Turn these meeting notes into tasks in Todebaran."

Technical details#

For advanced setups: the server speaks Streamable HTTP at http://127.0.0.1:21983/mcp. The copy-paste configuration uses a bundled stdio bridge so clients that expect a stdio server can launch it on demand — the paths differ per platform, but the copied config is always correct for your install.