Kanban MCP
A terminal kanban board with a 47-tool MCP server: the agent manages boards, cards and sprints in a local file
- 189 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- Apache-2.0
Extended access
Why this level
- The server reads and rewrites the local board file, including deleting archived boards
- No network or secrets needed, access is limited to the data file path
Install
- Works in
Manual install
{
"mcpServers": {
"kanban": {
"command": "kanban-mcp",
"args": ["boards.json"]
}
}
}A fragment for .mcp.json in the project root. Build kanban-mcp first.
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- The server reads and rewrites the local board file, including deleting archived boards
- No network or secrets needed, access is limited to the data file path
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
Kanban keeps boards in a plain JSON or SQLite file on your disk. The same data is opened by three programs: a terminal interface with lazygit-style keys, a CLI with JSON output and the `kanban-mcp` MCP server. The server holds state in memory and rereads the file before every change, so edits by the agent and by a person do not overwrite each other. The forty-seven tools are grouped: boards (9), columns (6), cards (8), card relations (4), sprints (8), bulk operations (3), export and import (2), undo and redo (2). You can refer to items by name or by a code like `KAN-5`. A card gets a priority, status, points, due date and parent, child and blocking relations. A Git branch name and a `git checkout` command are generated from a card. Sprints run from planning to completion with carry-over of unfinished cards.
Who it is for. Developers who plan tasks in a terminal and want Claude Code or Cursor to edit the same board without cloud trackers.
Good fit when
- An agent has to break a large task into cards with priorities and parent and child links
- A board must sit next to the code in a file that can live in the repository and be edited offline
- A sprint is planned with the agent: carrying over unfinished cards, changing statuses, an assignment log
- You want a Git branch name and a switch command from a card
- Data must not go to a cloud service, and both a person and an agent need the board
Not a fit when
- You need a shared cloud tracker for a team with accounts: Kanban keeps data in a local file
- Rust is not installed and you would rather not install it: kanban-mcp is built from source
- You want descriptions edited in VS Code: the author notes it does not work with the current implementation
Example request
Use kanban to create a board "Release 2.0" with columns TODO, Doing and Complete, add five cards from the task list below with priorities and link subtasks to their parentMCP
- Transport
- stdio
- Authentication
- not required
Environment variables
KANBAN_FILE- Path to the JSON or SQLite board file. A positional argument wins over the variable.
Limitations
- Data lives in a single local JSON or SQLite file. Each user works with their own file.
- `kanban-mcp` is built from source: `cargo install --path crates/kanban-mcp` after cloning the repository, or `nix build .#kanban-mcp`.
- Card descriptions are edited in the external editor from `$EDITOR`. VS Code is not supported.
- Clipboard copying on Linux persists after exit only with a clipboard manager.
How to disable. Remove the kanban entry from `mcpServers` or `.mcp.json`. The board file stays on disk: keep it or delete it by hand. The program is removed with the manager you installed it with, for example `cargo uninstall kanban-cli`.
FAQ
How do I connect kanban to Claude Code?
Build `kanban-mcp` with `cargo install --path crates/kanban-mcp` and add a server with `"command": "kanban-mcp"` and the board file path in `args` to `.mcp.json`.
Where are boards stored?
In a JSON or SQLite file; the path is the first argument, the `KANBAN_FILE` variable or a `config.toml` value. A positional path wins over the variable.
Can an agent and a person work on a board at once?
Yes. The server rereads the file before every write and saves it whole, and the terminal interface treats the file as the source of truth too.
How do I refer to cards and boards?
A UUID or a readable name works: a name for a board and column, a code like `KAN-5` for a card. When ambiguous the server returns a list of options.
Is there undo?
Yes, two MCP tools for undo and redo, and the `u` and `U` keys in the interface.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
Related
MCP serversA local kanban board and MCP server give people and coding agents shared tasks, comments and visible work progress in a browser.
CodeKanban gathers terminals and Claude Code and Codex sessions on one page, and codekanban-cli drives them from an agent
Doska kanban MCP server: an agent creates cards, moves them across columns, sets deadlines and searches every board
A terminal kanban board in Python that Claude Code and other agents can read and change through a CLI or MCP
kaiten-cli
kaiten
Command-line client and MCP server for the Kaiten tracker: cards, comments, checklists and files from the terminal or an agent
Kaiten MCP
kaiten-mcp
Swift MCP server for Kaiten: spaces, boards, columns, lanes, cards, comments and custom properties
README in short
The README opens with a list of strengths: keyboard control, data in a file on disk, Git links and an MCP server. It then shows launching the interface, CLI commands with JSON output, MCP setup and install through Cargo, Homebrew, Nix, AUR, Chocolatey and winget. Detailed features, the crate layout and notes on highlight color and the external editor follow.