view-inboxLABSCO SUMMARY
Capture goes where the thinking already is.
Things3 is a good place to keep work and a slow place to put it there. Talking a project into existence — notes, deadline and tags already set — turns capture into a sentence, and today's list is readable without switching apps.
What it is
A Python MCP server for Things3 on macOS. It drives the app through AppleScript and Things' URL scheme, with careful URL encoding so special characters and unicode survive the trip.
What you get
- Everything in the inbox, with due dates and scheduling
- All projects, and today's todos with their metadata
- New projects created with notes, area, start date, deadline and tags
- New todos created with notes, checklists, tags and dates
- A todo completed by searching for its title
- A search across all todos by title or content
Requirements
macOS with Things3 installed and running — the server talks to the live app, so nothing works while it is closed. Python 3.8 or newer; pip install -e . puts it on your path as mcp-server-things3. Everything stays on the machine: there is no Things account or token in the loop, which also means there is nothing to reach from another device.
Setup effort
Build from source — git clone https://github.com/drjforrest/mcp-things3.git
USE CASES
01
Starting the day without opening the app
Read today's todos and whatever landed in the inbox.
02
Capturing a project as you talk it through
Create it with its notes, area, deadline and tags in one go.
03
Getting a task down before it evaporates
Create the todo with its checklist and dates while you are still in the conversation that produced it.
04
Ticking off what you actually finished
Search for the todo by title and mark it complete.
05
Finding where something ended up
Search across all todos by title or content, then check which project it belongs to.
7 tools
Listed in project docs. Your client may show a different list.
view-projectsview-todoscreate-things3-projectcreate-things3-todocomplete-things3-todosearch-things3-todosBEFORE YOU INSTALL
What to know first
Tools you get
7 tools named in the project's documentation.
Requires
- macOS with Things3 installed
- Python 3.8+
- Things3 running (for real-time operations)
Where it runs
The documented client runs the server on your machine.
INSTALLATION
Connect your client
This one is built from source rather than installed with a single command.
Server setup
TERMINAL
git clone https://github.com/drjforrest/mcp-things3.git
cd mcp-things3
pip install -e .MCP Clients
Claude Desktop
CLAUDE DESKTOP · JSON
{
"mcpServers": {
"things3": {
"command": "mcp-server-things3",
"args": []
}
}
}
