Things3 MCP

What is things3-mcp?

things3-mcp is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server designed to bridge the gap between AI assistants and the Things3 task management application on macOS. It provides a robust set of 25 specialized tools that allow AI and other MCP clients to seamlessly interact with Things3, offering extensive capabilities for managing tasks, projects, and tags.

How to use things3-mcp?

Things3-mcp can be used in several ways, primarily by configuring it within an MCP client like Claude Desktop. You can use npx for a quick start without installation, or install it globally via npm. For update operations, you'll need to set your Things3 authorization token as an environment variable. The server exposes various tools that can be invoked by your MCP client to perform actions within Things3.

Key Features of things3-mcp

• Complete Things3 Integration: Offers 25 tools covering all aspects of Things3.
• TODO Management: Comprehensive creation, reading, updating, deletion, completion, and uncompletion of tasks.
• Project & Area Management: Full lifecycle support for projects, including area organization and deletion.
• Tag System: Supports hierarchical tags with creation, deletion, and bulk operations.
• Bulk Operations: Efficiently move or update multiple items simultaneously.
• Automatic Tag Creation: Tags are automatically created when referenced in TODO/project operations.
• Error Correction: Automatically fixes common issues like date conflicts, missing titles, and invalid references.
• Logbook Search: Search completed items with date range filtering.
• Performance Optimized: Utilizes connection pooling and AppleScript optimization for better performance.

Use Cases of things3-mcp

• AI-Powered Task Management: Integrate Things3 with AI assistants to create, manage, and query tasks using natural language.
• Automated Workflow: Automate repetitive task management actions within Things3.
• Custom Integrations: Develop custom applications or scripts that interact with Things3's data and functionalities.
• Enhanced Productivity: Streamline task and project management by leveraging the server's comprehensive toolset.

FAQ from things3-mcp

• Things3 Not Responding: Ensure Things3 is installed and running, check AppleScript permissions, and grant terminal/IDE permission to control Things3.
• Permission Errors: macOS may require granting automation permissions. Test AppleScript access with a provided command.
• MCP Connection Issues: Verify absolute paths in configuration, check server build, and look for error messages in MCP client logs.
• Date Format Issues: Dates must be in ISO 8601 format. The server handles timezone conversion.
• Performance Issues: For large operations, use bulk tools. Initial tag operations might be slower due to automatic tag creation.
• Checklist Items Limitations: Things3's AppleScript API doesn't support checklist manipulation directly; URL schemes are used as a workaround, which may briefly bring Things3 to the foreground. Existing checklist items cannot be modified after creation.
• Deleted Items Recovery: Deleted items cannot be recovered via the API.
• Reminder Details: Limited reminder information is available through AppleScript.
• Tag Hierarchy: Tag parent-child relationships are read-only, though tags can be created and deleted.
• URL Scheme Limitations: When using URL schemes, the newly created TODO's ID cannot be directly retrieved, and the server performs a search that might fail if multiple TODOs have identical titles.

Things3 MCP Server

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that provides comprehensive integration with Things3 on macOS. This server enables AI assistants and other MCP clients to interact with Things3 through 25 specialized tools, offering complete task management capabilities with intelligent error correction and automatic tag creation.

Features

• Complete Things3 Integration: 25 tools covering all aspects of Things3
• TODO Management: Create, read, update, delete, complete, and uncomplete tasks
• Project & Area Management: Full project lifecycle support with area organization and deletion
• Tag System: Hierarchical tag support with creation, deletion, and bulk tag operations
• Bulk Operations: Efficiently move or update multiple items at once
• Automatic Tag Creation: Tags are automatically created when referenced in TODO/project operations
• Error Correction: Automatic fixing of common issues (date conflicts, missing titles)
• Logbook Search: Search completed items with date range filtering
• Performance Optimized: Connection pooling and AppleScript optimization

Requirements

• macOS (Things3 is macOS-only)
• Node.js >= 16.0.0
• Things3 app installed
• AppleScript access enabled in System Settings

Installation

Quick Start (Recommended)

You can use the server without any installation:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "things3": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["things3-mcp@latest"],
      "env": {
        "THINGS3_AUTH_TOKEN": "your_auth_token_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Install from npm

npm install -g things3-mcp

Then add to your MCP client configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "things3": {
      "command": "things3-mcp",
      "env": {
        "THINGS3_AUTH_TOKEN": "your_auth_token_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Install from Source

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/urbanogardun/things3-mcp.git
cd things3-mcp

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Build the project
npm run build

Configuration

Environment Variables

For update operations (modify, complete, delete), you need to set your Things3 authorization token:

export THINGS3_AUTH_TOKEN="your_auth_token_here"

To find your authorization token:

1. Open Things3
2. Go to Settings → General
3. Click "Enable Things URLs"
4. Click "Manage"
5. Copy the authorization token value

You can also create a .env file (see .env.example).

For Claude Desktop

1. Open Claude Desktop configuration:

   • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

2. Add the Things3 MCP server using one of these methods:

   Method 1: Using npx (easiest, no installation required)

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "things3": {
         "command": "npx",
         "args": ["things3-mcp@latest"],
         "env": {
           "THINGS3_AUTH_TOKEN": "your_auth_token_here"
         }
       }
     }
   }
   

   Method 2: Global npm install

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "things3": {
         "command": "things3-mcp",
         "env": {
           "THINGS3_AUTH_TOKEN": "your_auth_token_here"
         }
     }
   }
   

   Method 3: Local installation

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "things3": {
         "command": "node",
         "args": ["/absolute/path/to/things3-mcp/dist/index.js"]
       }
     }
   }
   

3. Restart Claude Desktop

For Other MCP Clients

Use any of the methods above, adapting the configuration to your MCP client's format.

Available Tools

TODO Tools (7)

todos_list

List TODOs with flexible filtering options.

Parameters:

• filter: "inbox" | "today" | "upcoming" | "anytime" | "someday" | "logbook" (optional)
• searchText: Search within titles and notes (optional)

Example:

{
  "filter": "today",
  "searchText": "meeting"
}

todos_get

Get detailed information about a specific TODO.

Parameters:

• id: The TODO's unique identifier (required)

todos_create

Create a new TODO with full property support (automatically creates tags if they don't exist).

Parameters:

• title: Task title (required)
• notes: Additional notes (optional)
• whenDate: ISO 8601 date string for scheduling (optional)
• deadline: ISO 8601 date string for due date (optional)
• tags: Array of tag names (optional)
• checklistItems: Array of checklist item titles (optional) *
• projectId: Assign to project (optional)
• areaId: Assign to area (optional)
• heading: Title of heading within project to add to (optional)

Example:

{
  "title": "Review Q4 Report",
  "notes": "Focus on revenue metrics",
  "whenDate": "2024-12-15T09:00:00Z",
  "deadline": "2024-12-20T17:00:00Z",
  "tags": ["work", "urgent"],
  "checklistItems": ["Review revenue", "Check expenses", "Update forecast"],
  "projectId": "project-id-here"
}

* Note on Checklists: When checklistItems are provided, the TODO is created using Things3's URL scheme instead of AppleScript. This approach has some limitations:

• Things3 may briefly come to the foreground
• The created TODO's ID cannot be directly retrieved, so the server searches for it by title
• If multiple TODOs have identical titles, the wrong TODO might be returned
• URL scheme support must be enabled in Things3 settings (Settings → General → Enable Things URLs)

todos_update

Update an existing TODO's properties (automatically creates tags if they don't exist).

Parameters:

• id: TODO identifier (required)
• All parameters from todos_create (optional)

todos_complete

Mark one or more TODOs as complete.

Parameters:

• ids: Single ID or array of IDs (required)

todos_uncomplete

Mark one or more TODOs as incomplete.

Parameters:

• ids: Single ID or array of IDs (required)

todos_delete

Delete one or more TODOs permanently.

Parameters:

• ids: Single ID or array of IDs (required)

Project Tools (6)

projects_list

List projects with optional filtering.

Parameters:

• areaId: Filter by area (optional)
• includeCompleted: Include completed projects (optional, default: false)

projects_get

Get detailed project information.

Parameters:

• id: Project identifier (required)

projects_create

Create a new project (automatically creates tags if they don't exist).

Parameters:

• name: Project name (required)
• notes: Project description (optional)
• areaId: Assign to area (optional)
• whenDate: Start date (optional)
• deadline: Due date (optional)
• tags: Array of tag names (optional)
• headings: Array of section headings (optional)

projects_update

Update project properties (automatically creates tags if they don't exist).

Parameters:

• id: Project identifier (required)
• All parameters from projects_create except headings (optional)

projects_complete

Mark a project as complete.

Parameters:

• id: Project identifier (required)

projects_delete

Delete projects completely from Things3.

Parameters:

• ids: Single project ID or array of project IDs (required)

Area Tools (3)

areas_list

List all areas.

Parameters:

• includeHidden: Include hidden areas (optional, default: false)

areas_create

Create a new area.

Parameters:

• name: Area name (required)

areas_delete

Delete areas completely from Things3.

Parameters:

• ids: Single area ID or array of area IDs (required)

Tag Tools (5)

tags_list

List all tags with hierarchy information.

Returns: Array of tags with parentTagId for nested tags

tags_create

Create a new tag.

Parameters:

• name: Tag name (required)
• parentTagId: Parent tag for nesting (optional)

tags_add

Add tags to items (automatically creates tags if they don't exist).

Parameters:

• itemIds: Single ID or array of TODO/Project IDs (required)
• tags: Array of tag names to add (required)

tags_remove

Remove tags from items.

Parameters:

• itemIds: Single ID or array of TODO/Project IDs (required)
• tags: Array of tag names to remove (required)

tags_delete

Delete tags completely from Things3.

Parameters:

• names: Single tag name or array of tag names (required)

Bulk Tools (2)

bulk_move

Move multiple TODOs to a project or area.

Parameters:

• todoIds: Array of TODO IDs (required)
• projectId: Target project (optional)
• areaId: Target area (optional)

bulk_updateDates

Update dates for multiple TODOs.

Parameters:

• todoIds: Array of TODO IDs (required)
• whenDate: New scheduled date or null to clear (optional)
• deadline: New deadline or null to clear (optional)

Logbook Tool (1)

logbook_search

Search completed items in the logbook.

Parameters:

• searchText: Search in titles and notes (optional)
• fromDate: Start date for range (optional)
• toDate: End date for range (optional)
• limit: Maximum results (optional, default: 50)

System Tools (1)

system_launch

Ensure Things3 is running and ready.

Error Correction

The server automatically corrects common issues:

• Date Conflicts: Swaps when/deadline if deadline is before scheduled date
• Missing Titles: Generates title from notes or uses "Untitled"
• Invalid References: Moves items to Inbox if project/area doesn't exist
• Tag Names: Cleans special characters that Things3 doesn't support

Usage Examples

With Claude Desktop

Human: Create a new project for the website redesign with tasks for planning, design, and implementation

Claude: I'll create a website redesign project with those tasks for you.

[Creates project and tasks using the Things3 MCP tools]

Direct Tool Usage

Create a TODO:

{
  "tool": "todos_create",
  "parameters": {
    "title": "Prepare presentation",
    "notes": "Include Q4 metrics and projections",
    "whenDate": "2024-12-10T14:00:00Z",
    "tags": ["work", "presentation"]
  }
}

List today's tasks:

{
  "tool": "todos_list",
  "parameters": {
    "filter": "today"
  }
}

Development

Setup Development Environment

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Run in development mode with watch
npm run dev

# Run tests
npm test

# Run integration tests (requires Things3)
npm run test:integration

# Lint code
npm run lint

# Type check
npm run type-check

Project Structure

things3-mcp/
├── src/
│   ├── index.ts          # Entry point
│   ├── server.ts         # MCP server implementation
│   ├── config.ts         # Configuration management
│   ├── tools/            # Tool implementations
│   │   ├── todos.ts      # TODO operations
│   │   ├── projects.ts   # Project operations
│   │   ├── areas.ts      # Area operations
│   │   ├── tags.ts       # Tag operations
│   │   ├── bulk.ts       # Bulk operations
│   │   ├── logbook.ts    # Logbook search
│   │   └── system.ts     # System utilities
│   ├── templates/        # AppleScript templates
│   ├── utils/            # Utility functions
│   │   ├── applescript.ts     # AppleScript bridge
│   │   ├── cache-manager.ts   # Caching system
│   │   ├── error-correction.ts # Error correction
│   │   └── date-handler.ts    # Date formatting
│   └── types/            # TypeScript definitions
├── tests/
│   ├── unit/            # Unit tests
│   └── integration/     # Integration tests
└── dist/                # Compiled JavaScript

Troubleshooting

Things3 Not Responding

1. Ensure Things3 is installed and running
2. Check AppleScript permissions in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Privacy > Automation
3. Grant your terminal or IDE permission to control Things3

Permission Errors

• macOS may require you to grant automation permissions
• Run this command to test AppleScript access:

  osascript -e 'tell application "Things3" to return name of first to do'
  

MCP Connection Issues

1. Verify the path in your configuration is absolute
2. Check that the server builds successfully: npm run build
3. Look for error messages in your MCP client's logs
4. Try running the server directly: node dist/index.js

Date Format Issues

• Dates must be in ISO 8601 format (e.g., "2024-12-25T10:00:00Z")
• The server automatically handles timezone conversion
• If dates appear incorrect, check your system's date format settings

Performance Issues

• For large operations, use bulk tools instead of individual operations
• Tag operations automatically create missing tags, which may slow down initial operations

Known Limitations

1. Checklist Items:
   • Things3's AppleScript API doesn't support checklist manipulation
   • We use URL schemes as a workaround when creating TODOs with checklists
   • This may cause Things3 to briefly come to the foreground
   • Existing checklist items cannot be modified after creation
2. Deleted Items Recovery: Deleted items cannot be recovered via the API
3. Reminder Details: Limited reminder information available through AppleScript
4. Tag Hierarchy: Tag parent-child relationships are read-only (but tags can be created and deleted)
5. URL Scheme Limitations:
   • When using URL schemes (for checklists), the newly created TODO's ID cannot be directly retrieved
   • The server performs a search to find the created TODO, which may fail if multiple TODOs have identical titles

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please follow conventional commit format and ensure all tests pass before submitting pull requests.

Acknowledgments

• Built with the Model Context Protocol SDK
• Integrates with Things3 by Cultured Code
• Inspired by the MCP community and various automation tools