mcp-task-manager

This MCP server provides a Task Manager to orchestrate multi-step tasks for agents working on complex problems. It supports creating tasks with detailed definitions of done, decomposing complex tasks into subtasks with explicit sequence ordering, and tracking progress through states like todo, in-progress, done, and failed. Tasks can declare dependencies and whether they lie on the critical path, enabling proper validation before completion. Use the create_task tool to initiate a task, then decompose it if it’s complex, and finally update its status as you work toward completion. The system enforces that tasks must be decomposed before execution when necessary, and requires an update once work on the task has begun and again when it finishes. A verification subtask should be included as part of decomposed work to ensure traceability and quality control. When managing a task that has dependencies, completion of earlier sequence subtasks may be required before later ones can proceed, facilitating robust dependency chains and critical path tracking. Note that VS Code users should disable the Todo List tool to avoid conflicts with the MCP Task Manager workflow.

Prerequisites:

• Node.js (>= 14) and npm installed on your system
• Git (optional for cloning the repository)

Installation steps:

1. Install the MCP Task Manager package from npm (or clone the repository and install dependencies): npm install -g mcp-task-manager OR if installing from source: git clone <repository-url> cd mcp-task-manager npm install

2. Install dependencies for the server (if not installed globally): npm install

3. Configure environment variables as needed (see additional_notes for guidance). A typical startup may not require additional vars, but SINGLE_AGENT can be enabled for single-agent mode.

4. Start the MCP server: node server.js

5. Verify the server is running by querying its status or using the provided CLI/API to create a test task.

Notes and tips:

• The server emphasizes decomposing complex tasks before execution. If a task’s complexity is higher than low, you must run decompose_task first.
• Subtasks with the same sequence order may execute in parallel, while later sequences depend on earlier ones. This creates a clear dependency chain for task progression.
• Include a verification subtask for each decomposition to ensure criteria are met and to provide verifiable evidence of completion.
• If you are using VS Code, disable the Todo List extension or feature to avoid conflicts with the MCP Task Manager tools.
• When updating tasks, always record lessons learned and verification evidence to improve future tasks. Task dependencies and critical path flags must be validated before allowing a transition to done.