Frequently Asked Questions about Things MCP Server

Q: What is the Things MCP Server? A: The Things MCP Server is a bridge that allows Claude Desktop to interact with your task management data in the Things app. It enables you to use AI to create tasks, analyze projects, manage priorities, and more.

Q: What is MCP (Model Context Protocol)? A: MCP is an open protocol that standardizes how applications provide context to LLMs (Large Language Models), enabling seamless communication and interaction.

Q: What are the key features of the Things MCP Server? A: Key features include access to all major Things lists, project and area management, tag operations, advanced search, recent items tracking, detailed item information, and support for nested data.

Q: What are some example use cases? A: Example use cases include asking Claude to create tasks, evaluate your todos using the Eisenhower matrix, conduct a GTD-style weekly review, or provide a summary of your upcoming deadlines.

Q: What are the installation prerequisites? A: You need Python 3.12+, Claude Desktop, and Things 3 with “Enable Things URLs” turned on in Settings -> General.

Q: How do I install the Things MCP Server? A: Clone the repository, install the required Python packages using uv pip install -r pyproject.toml, and configure the Claude Desktop application by adding the server to the mcpServers key in claude_desktop_config.json.

Q: What if I encounter errors during installation or usage? A: The server includes error handling and logs descriptive messages. You can review the MCP logs using the command tail -n 20 -f ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp*.log in the Terminal.

Q: What tools are available through the Things MCP Server? A: Available tools include list views (e.g., get-inbox, get-today), basic operations (e.g., get-todos, get-projects), tag operations (e.g., get-tags), search operations (e.g., search-todos, search-advanced), and time-based operations (e.g., get-recent).

Q: Can I filter todos by project? A: Yes, you can use the get-todos tool with the project_uuid parameter to filter todos by project.

Q: How can I search for todos with specific criteria? A: Use the search-advanced tool with parameters like status, start_date, deadline, tag, area, and type to filter todos based on your desired criteria.

Q: How do I get recently created items? A: Use the get-recent tool with the period parameter to specify the time period (e.g., ‘3d’, ‘1w’, ‘2m’, ‘1y’).

Q: How does UBOS relate to the Things MCP Server? A: UBOS is a full-stack AI Agent Development Platform that allows you to orchestrate AI Agents, connect them with enterprise data, build custom AI Agents with your LLM model, and create Multi-Agent Systems, extending the concepts of the Things MCP Server to broader business applications.