Server facts
MCP Shrimp Task Manager
Project
- Author
- cjo4m06
- License
- MIT
- Category
- Productivity
Tech
- Runtime / language
- node
- Transports
- stdio
- Remote available
- No
- Authentication
- Not specified
Activity
- GitHub stars
- 2,146
- Last commit
- Data as of
Tags
- Ai Development
- Persistent Memory
- Project Planning
- Task Management
Overview
MCP Shrimp Task Manager gives coding assistants a structured way to organize development work rather than treating each conversation as a fresh start. It preserves task progress between sessions and guides planning, execution, and verification. Requirements can be broken into smaller testable tasks, with dependencies and status updates keeping the sequence understandable. The intended audience is developers using MCP-compatible assistants such as Claude Code, Cline, or Claude Desktop.
Beyond task lists, Shrimp includes research workflows for comparing technologies and investigating solutions before implementation. Project rules provide a place to establish coding standards, while an agent system supports assigning specialized assistants to particular tasks. Task history can be backed up and restored. The README illustrates feature development, bug investigation, and framework evaluation as different entry points into the same planning process. These capabilities are described as guided workflows rather than a replacement for the connected coding client.
Installation involves cloning the repository, installing dependencies, and building the project before configuring a Node-based stdio process. A data directory is required for storage. Visual access is optional: a lightweight web GUI gives a quick overview, and a separate React task viewer adds drag-and-drop interaction, search, and multiple profiles. Teams wanting those interfaces should account for their additional setup rather than assuming they are part of the basic server launch.
Install & configure
Requirements
- Node.js 18 or newer
- npm or yarn
- An MCP-compatible AI client
- Repository dependencies installed and project built
node /path/to/mcp-shrimp-task-manager/dist/index.jsClone the repository, run npm install and npm run build, then replace the example script and storage paths. The README lists natural-language workflow commands but does not enumerate MCP tool identifiers.
Examples are translated from the published configuration. Supply your own credentials and verify requirements in the upstream README. Remote connectors are shown only where a supported configuration format is known.
Config file · macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
Use Settings → Developer → Edit Config when available. Do not assume a Linux configuration path; check the client documentation for your platform. Remote servers use the app’s connector flow when supported, not the local stdio file shown here. Merge this example with existing settings; do not overwrite unrelated servers.
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-shrimp-task-manager": {
"command": "node",
"args": [
"/path/to/mcp-shrimp-task-manager/dist/index.js"
],
"env": {
"DATA_DIR": "<absolute directory for stored task data>",
"TEMPLATES_USE": "<template language such as en>",
"ENABLE_GUI": "<true to enable the optional GUI, otherwise false>"
}
}
}
}Config file · Project: .cursor/mcp.json
User: ~/.cursor/mcp.json
The project path is relative to the workspace root. The tilde denotes your user home directory. Use Cursor’s MCP settings to confirm which configuration and scope your installed version is reading. Merge this example with existing settings; do not overwrite unrelated servers.
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-shrimp-task-manager": {
"command": "node",
"args": [
"/path/to/mcp-shrimp-task-manager/dist/index.js"
],
"env": {
"DATA_DIR": "<absolute directory for stored task data>",
"TEMPLATES_USE": "<template language such as en>",
"ENABLE_GUI": "<true to enable the optional GUI, otherwise false>"
}
}
}
}Config file · Workspace: .vscode/mcp.json
For user scope, use the “MCP: Open User Configuration” command if available. Do not guess a user configuration path across operating systems, profiles, containers, or remote workspaces; check the client documentation. Merge this example with existing settings; do not overwrite unrelated servers.
{
"servers": {
"mcp-shrimp-task-manager": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "node",
"args": [
"/path/to/mcp-shrimp-task-manager/dist/index.js"
],
"env": {
"DATA_DIR": "<absolute directory for stored task data>",
"TEMPLATES_USE": "<template language such as en>",
"ENABLE_GUI": "<true to enable the optional GUI, otherwise false>"
}
}
}
}Config file · macOS/Linux: ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json
Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.codeium\windsurf\mcp_config.json
Open the MCP configuration through Windsurf’s settings when possible to confirm the active file. Paths can differ in managed or future releases; check the client documentation if this location is not present. Merge this example with existing settings; do not overwrite unrelated servers.
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-shrimp-task-manager": {
"command": "node",
"args": [
"/path/to/mcp-shrimp-task-manager/dist/index.js"
],
"env": {
"DATA_DIR": "<absolute directory for stored task data>",
"TEMPLATES_USE": "<template language such as en>",
"ENABLE_GUI": "<true to enable the optional GUI, otherwise false>"
}
}
}
}Config file · Project scope: .mcp.json at the repository root
The project file uses mcpServers. For user scope, use claude mcp add --scope user rather than assuming .mcp.json in your home directory is the user configuration. Check the client documentation for managed settings and storage details. Merge this example with existing settings; do not overwrite unrelated servers.
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-shrimp-task-manager": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "node",
"args": [
"/path/to/mcp-shrimp-task-manager/dist/index.js"
],
"env": {
"DATA_DIR": "<absolute directory for stored task data>",
"TEMPLATES_USE": "<template language such as en>",
"ENABLE_GUI": "<true to enable the optional GUI, otherwise false>"
}
}
}
}Examples are translated from the published configuration. Supply your own credentials and verify requirements in the upstream README. Remote connectors are shown only where a supported configuration format is known.
Tools
No individual tool names were confirmed in the source material. Check the repository for its current tool list.
Names, permissions, and defaults can change. Check the current upstream documentation before granting access.
Use cases
- Break a feature request into dependent implementation tasks.
- Resume an assistant's work using stored task progress.
- Research a technical choice before planning a migration.
- Maintain project coding rules alongside task execution.
Strengths
- Keeps task history across assistant sessions.
- Combines planning, execution, research, and verification workflows.
- Offers optional lightweight and React-based visual interfaces.
Limitations
- Requires a source checkout and build in the documented setup.
- The richer task viewer has its own installation steps.
- Exact MCP tool identifiers are not stated in the README.
Frequently asked questions
Independent listing, not an affiliation or security review. Grant the least access needed and verify the upstream instructions before running code.
