# clickup-mcp

[![npm version](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/@cavort-it-systems/clickup-mcp.svg)](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@cavort-it-systems/clickup-mcp)
[![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-yellow.svg)](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
[![MCP SDK](https://img.shields.io/badge/MCP%20SDK-1.12.1-blue.svg)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io)

Lightweight ClickUp MCP server focused on task management. 40 tools with **token-optimized responses** - API responses automatically slimmed from thousands of characters to essentials.

## Why This Server?

ClickUp's API returns extremely verbose JSON. This server strips it down:

| Response | Before | After | Reduction |
|----------|--------|-------|-----------|
| `clickup_whoami` | ~3,500 chars | ~160 chars | **95%** |
| `clickup_create_comment` | ~1,500 chars | ~38 chars | **97%** |

Less tokens = faster responses, lower costs, more context for your AI.

## Installation

```bash
npm install -g @cavort-it-systems/clickup-mcp
```

Or run directly:

```bash
npx @cavort-it-systems/clickup-mcp
```

## Configuration

### Claude Code CLI

```bash
claude mcp add clickup -e CLICKUP_API_TOKEN=your-token -- npx @cavort-it-systems/clickup-mcp
```

### Claude Desktop / Manual

Add to your MCP config (`~/.claude.json` or Claude Desktop settings):

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "clickup": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@cavort-it-systems/clickup-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "CLICKUP_API_TOKEN": "your-token"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

### From Source

```bash
git clone https://github.com/cvrt-jh/clickup-mcp.git
cd clickup-mcp
pnpm install && pnpm build
```

Then configure with the built path:

```bash
claude mcp add clickup -e CLICKUP_API_TOKEN=your-token -- node /path/to/clickup-mcp/build/index.js
```

### Custom task IDs

Every tool that takes a `task_id` accepts the custom ID as well (`DEV-1217`), not only
the internal one (`86caqr85m`). The server adds `custom_task_ids=true&team_id=...` itself.
The workspace id comes from `CLICKUP_TEAM_ID`, or, if unset, from the token's only
workspace (looked up once). A token with access to several workspaces must set
`CLICKUP_TEAM_ID`.

## Get Your API Token

1. Go to ClickUp Settings > Apps
2. Generate a Personal API Token
3. Set as `CLICKUP_API_TOKEN`

## Response Slimming

All responses are automatically trimmed to save tokens. The ClickUp API returns extremely verbose JSON - this server strips it down to what matters.

**`clickup_whoami`** - from ~3,500 chars to ~160:
```json
// Before (ClickUp API raw)
{"user":{"id":12345678,"username":"Jane Doe","email":"jane@example.com","color":"#0388d1",
"profilePicture":"https://attachments.clickup.com/...","initials":"JD",
"week_start_day":1,"global_font_support":true,"timezone":"Europe/Berlin"},
"teams":{"teams":[{"id":"99999999","name":"My Workspace","color":"#40BC86",
"avatar":"https://attachments2.clickup.com/...?Expires=...&Key-Pair-Id=...&Signature=...",
"members":[{"user":{"id":11111111,"username":"Bob Smith","email":"bob@example.com",
"color":"#aa2fff","profilePicture":null,"initials":"BS","role":4,"role_subtype":2,
"role_key":"guest","custom_role":null,"last_active":"...","date_joined":"...",
"date_invited":"..."},"invited_by":{"id":22222222,...},
"can_see_time_spent":true,...}, ...]}]}}

// After (slimmed)
{"id":12345678,"username":"Jane Doe","email":"jane@example.com",
"timezone":"Europe/Berlin","workspaces":[{"id":"99999999",
"name":"My Workspace","member_count":4}]}
```

**`clickup_create_comment`** - from ~1,500 chars to 38:
```json
// Before
{"id":90150191300876,"hist_id":"...","date":1770053982842,
"version":{"object_type":"comment","object_id":"...","workspace_id":99999999,
"operation":"c","data":{"context":{"root_parent_type":1,"is_chat":false,
"audit_context":{"userid":12345678,"current_time":...,"route":"*"},...},...},...}}

// After
{"id":90150191300876,"date":1770053982842}
```

**What gets stripped:**

| Field | Where | Why |
|-------|-------|-----|
| `features{}` | spaces | ~50 lines of boolean flags per space |
| `sharing{}`, `permission_level` | tasks | Internal access config, not useful |
| `watchers[]` | tasks | Usually same as assignees |
| Full user objects | everywhere | Reduced to `{id, username, email}` |
| `profilePicture`, `initials`, `color` | users | Visual metadata, not useful for LLMs |
| `version{}` blobs | comment/reply creates | Internal versioning data |
| `invited_by`, `profileInfo` | members | Invitation metadata |
| Pretty-print JSON | all responses | Compact single-line output |
| Empty arrays | tasks | `checklists`, `dependencies`, `custom_fields` omitted when empty |

## Tools (40)

### Navigation (7)
- `clickup_whoami` - Current user + workspaces
- `clickup_get_spaces` - Spaces in workspace
- `clickup_get_folders` - Folders in space
- `clickup_get_lists` - Lists in folder or space
- `clickup_get_list` - Single list details
- `clickup_create_list` - Create list in folder or space
- `clickup_delete_list` - Delete a list (permanent)

### Task CRUD (5)
- `clickup_get_task` - Get task by ID
- `clickup_create_task` - Create task with all fields
- `clickup_update_task` - Update any task field
- `clickup_get_tasks` - List tasks in a list
- `clickup_search_tasks` - Search tasks across workspace

### Custom Fields (1)
- `clickup_set_custom_field` - Set custom field value

### Tags (6)
- `clickup_get_space_tags` - List space tags
- `clickup_create_space_tag` - Create tag
- `clickup_edit_space_tag` - Edit tag
- `clickup_delete_space_tag` - Delete tag
- `clickup_add_tag_to_task` - Tag a task
- `clickup_remove_tag_from_task` - Untag a task

### Checklists (6)
- `clickup_create_checklist` - Create checklist
- `clickup_edit_checklist` - Edit checklist
- `clickup_delete_checklist` - Delete checklist
- `clickup_create_checklist_item` - Add item
- `clickup_edit_checklist_item` - Edit item
- `clickup_delete_checklist_item` - Delete item

### Dependencies (4)
- `clickup_add_dependency` - Add dependency
- `clickup_delete_dependency` - Remove dependency
- `clickup_add_task_link` - Link tasks
- `clickup_delete_task_link` - Unlink tasks

### Comments (5)
- `clickup_create_comment` - Add comment
- `clickup_get_comments` - Get comments
- `clickup_update_comment` - Edit/resolve comment
- `clickup_create_reply` - Threaded reply
- `clickup_get_replies` - Get replies

### Delete Task (1)
- `clickup_delete_task` - Delete a task

### Multi-List Membership (2)
- `clickup_add_task_to_list` - Add a task to an **additional** list (multi-homing)
- `clickup_remove_task_from_list` - Remove a task from an additional list

> **These do not move a task.** The ClickUp v2 API has no move-between-lists
> endpoint. Verified against the live API 2026-08-12: `POST /list/{list}/task/{task}`
> adds a secondary location and leaves the home list unchanged, while a `list_id`
> in `PUT /task/{id}` returns HTTP 200 and is silently ignored. To genuinely move a
> task and keep its custom ID and history, use the ClickUp web UI (right-click ->
> Move). Multi-list membership also requires the paid Tasks-in-Multiple-Lists feature.

### Attachments (1)
- `clickup_upload_attachment` - Upload a local file (screenshot, PDF) to a task

### Workspace Members (2)
- `clickup_get_workspace_members` - All workspace members
- `clickup_get_list_members` - List-specific members

## Architecture

```
src/
  index.ts          # Entry: McpServer + StdioServerTransport
  client.ts         # ClickUp API v2 fetch wrapper
  types.ts          # Shared Zod schemas + jsonResult helper
  slim.ts           # Response slimming transformers
  tools/
    navigation.ts   # 7 tools
    tasks.ts        # 9 tools (CRUD + custom fields + delete + multi-list)
    tags.ts         # 6 tools
    checklists.ts   # 6 tools
    dependencies.ts # 4 tools
    comments.ts     # 5 tools
    members.ts      # 2 tools
    attachments.ts  # 1 tool (multipart upload)
```

## License

MIT