Things MCP: Things 3 tasks for an agent
Things MCP Server
An MCP server for Things 3 on Mac: Claude reads lists, searches tasks and creates or updates them, including in bulk.
- 628 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Extended access
Why this level
- The agent sees all your tasks, notes and checklists, and with the token enabled it can change many tasks in one command
- The write tools create and update tasks, projects and areas: an agent mistake changes data in the app
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add mcp/things-mcp-serverDetects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- The agent sees all your tasks, notes and checklists, and with the token enabled it can change many tasks in one command
- The write tools create and update tasks, projects and areas: an agent mistake changes data in the app
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
The server connects Claude Code and Claude Desktop to your Things 3 task manager from Cultured Code. It reads data through the Things.py library and writes through the Things URL scheme, creating areas through AppleScript. The agent sees the «Inbox», «Today», «Upcoming», «Anytime», «Someday», «Logbook» and «Trash» lists, projects, areas and tags, and tasks carry their checklists. Tasks inside «Someday» projects stay out of «Today», «Upcoming» and «Anytime», as in the app itself. The read tools give lists, search by title and notes, advanced search by status, start date, deadline, tag, area and type, recently created items and a report on how many items each tag has. The write tools create tasks, projects and areas, update them and update in bulk: moving to a project, changing tags, deadline or status on many tasks at once. The time field accepts words like `today` and `evening`, dates and a date with a reminder time. Long lists can be paged with `limit` and `offset`, and responses arrive both as text and as structured data. Once connected, you can simply ask what is in Inbox. The author also suggests asking for an Eisenhower matrix review, a GTD-style weekly review and a search for tasks untouched for over a month.
Who it is for. For Things 3 users on Mac who want to triage and plan tasks together with Claude.
Good fit when
- You want a GTD weekly review: the agent walks the lists and suggests what to move or cancel
- You want tasks rated on an Eisenhower matrix without going through them by hand
- You need to find tasks untouched for over a month and decide what to do with them
- You need to create a task with a checklist, a deadline and a reminder from a chat or notes
- Tags have piled up and you need a report on which ones are used by no item
Not a fit when
- You are not on a Mac: Things 3 exists only in the Apple ecosystem and the server targets macOS
- You use another task manager: Todoist, Linear and similar need their own MCP servers
- You need to delete tasks: the write tools have no deletion, and the server only reads the trash
- Bulk edits are unwelcome: the `bulk-update-todos` tool changes many tasks in one command, and a mistake must be rolled back by hand
Example request
Show tasks from Inbox and Today, suggest what to move to next week and add the tag «calls» to those that need a phone call.MCP
- Transport
- stdio, http
- Authentication
- not required
Environment variables
THINGS_MCP_TRANSPORT- Transport: stdio by default or http.
THINGS_MCP_HOST- HTTP server bind address, 127.0.0.1 by default.
THINGS_MCP_PORT- HTTP server port, 8000 by default.
Limitations
The server works only on macOS. In Things 3 settings the «Enable Things URLs» option must be switched on, and the app must have been opened at least once so the database exists. Bulk update needs an authorization token: it is enabled with the «Manage» button in the same settings, and the server reads it automatically. You need the uv package manager and Python 3.12 or newer.
Areas are created and renamed through AppleScript, because the Things URL scheme has no command for it. Launch through Claude Desktop may fail to find uvx: install uv with Homebrew or give the full path to uvx in the configuration.
The server is local and reads the Things database on your Mac; no external service is needed.
How to disable. Remove the server from Claude Code with `claude mcp remove things`, and in Claude Desktop delete the entry from the configuration or the extension. If you enabled the authorization token for bulk updates, you can disable it where you turned it on: in the Things settings.
FAQ
How do I connect Things MCP to Claude Code?
Run `claude mcp add-json things '{"command":"uvx","args":["things-mcp"]}'`. To make the server work in all projects, add `-s user`. In Claude Desktop it is easier to download the mcpb file from the releases page and open it with a double click.
What do I need to set up in Things 3?
Enable «Enable Things URLs» in settings, section General, and open the app at least once. For bulk task updates, press «Manage» in the same section and enable the token: the server picks it up on its own.
How do I change many Things tasks at once through an agent?
The `bulk-update-todos` tool takes a list of `ids` and applies one change to all of them: moving to a project or area, replacing or adding tags, a date, a deadline, a heading inside a project, marking completed or canceled.
How do I page through long lists?
The read tools accept `limit` and `offset`. The response then starts with a «Showing X-Y of Z items» line, and the structured part carries `count`, `total`, `offset` and `limit`. The logbook defaults to 50 items over the last 7 days.
Can the server run over HTTP?
Yes: set THINGS_MCP_TRANSPORT=http and, if needed, THINGS_MCP_HOST (default 127.0.0.1) and THINGS_MCP_PORT (default 8000). By default the server runs over stdio.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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Comparison with similar tools
Entries that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Entry | Official | Authentication | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Things MCP: Things 3 tasks for an agent (this entry) | no | not required | 628 | |
| Todoist MCP Server | yes | OAuth | 562 | the official MCP server for Todoist, a cloud task manager with a different tool set |
| Mac Messages MCP | no | not required | 339 | an MCP server for macOS |
README in short
The document presents the server as a bridge between Claude and Things 3 and lists features and requirements: macOS, the Things 3 app, an MCP client and uv. Three ways to install follow, with sample requests and tips such as creating a Claude project that describes how you organize tasks. It documents all tools and their parameters, scheduling with reminders, troubleshooting, running tests and the project structure. The end shows HTTP transport configuration through environment variables.