Kaiten MCP Server (TDD)
Kaiten MCP Server
A TypeScript MCP server for the Kaiten kanban tool: five tools for cards and time tracking, built test-first with full test coverage
High risk
We rate an entry high when the tool writes to external systems, handles money, production databases or secrets, or runs arbitrary commands. The CLI installs it only with your consent.
Why this level
- Creates and changes cards on a real board
- The token gives full user-level access to your Kaiten organization
Install
Manual install
git clone git@github.com:Happiest-d/kaiten-mcp.git && cd kaiten-mcp && npm install && npm run buildThere is no ready package, the server is built from source.
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
The server gives an agent access to Kaiten tasks through the REST API. Five tools are implemented: get full card details with comments, check the status of several cards at once, view time logs grouped by user or day, create a card on a board, and update an existing one (title, description, moving between columns and lanes, assignee, tags). The other 12 tools from the author's roadmap, including listing a board's cards and its structure, are not built yet. The project follows TDD: 78 Vitest tests and separate feature specs in the specs folder.
Who it is for. For Kaiten teams who just need to read and create cards and check time logs through an agent, for a start.
Good fit when
- You want to create or update a card straight from a chat with an agent
- You want to see task details and time logs without opening the web interface
- You want a server with a transparent TDD process and detailed development docs
Not a fit when
- You need a filtered list of a board's cards: get-board-cards is not built yet
- You need to delete tasks, add comments, or read board structure: none of that exists yet
Example request
Create a Kaiten card "Fix login bug" on board 1660008 in column 5747562Limitations
Only 5 of the 17 planned tools are implemented, and the key get-board-cards tool is still in progress. Requires Node.js 20+, building from source (npm install, npm run build), and a Kaiten API token. Single author, no npm release.
How to disable. Remove the kaiten entry from your MCP client config (~/.claude/mcp.json or the project's .mcp.json).
MCP
- Transport
- stdio
- Authentication
- API key
| Environment variables | |
|---|---|
| KAITEN_API_TOKEN required, secret | Token from your Kaiten profile (Settings → API tokens) |
| KAITEN_BASE_URL required | Full API URL of your Kaiten instance, e.g. https://mycompany.kaiten.ru/api/latest |
Security check
- Creates and changes cards on a real board
- The token gives full user-level access to your Kaiten organization
README in short
The README lists five finished tools and names the ones still in progress: board card list and structure, task deletion, comments, time logging. It covers requirements (Node.js 20+, a Kaiten token), installing via clone and build, connecting in Claude Code and Claude Desktop through mcp.json, the project layout, and the RED-GREEN-REFACTOR development cycle with links to STATUS.md and MANUAL.md.
FAQ
Can it list all cards on a board?
Not yet, get-board-cards is in progress and marked critical in the roadmap.
Do I need to build the project?
Yes, there is no npm package, the server is built from source with npm run build.
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