mcp-taskfile-server

MCP Taskfile Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that dynamically exposes Taskfile.yml tasks as individual MCP tools, allowing AI assistants to discover and execute any task defined in your Taskfile.

Built using the mcp-go library for robust MCP protocol implementation and the go-task library for native Taskfile.yml parsing and execution.

Why

• Standard practices for building, linting, etc. are already defined in a Taskfile. Allow the assistant to execute these tasks directly.
• Parity between local, CI and AI.
• Seemed like a fun idea.

Features

• Dynamic Task Discovery: Automatically discovers all tasks from Taskfile.yml at runtime
• Individual Task Tools: Each task becomes its own MCP tool with proper schema
• Variable Schema Generation: Automatically extracts task variables for proper parameter validation
• Native Task Execution: Uses go-task library directly (no subprocess execution)
• MCP Protocol Compliance: Uses mcp-go library for full MCP specification compliance
• High-level API: Built with proven libraries for clean, maintainable code

Requirements

• Go 1.19 or later

Installation

go get github.com/rsclarke/mcp-taskfile-server

Usage

Running the Server

The server communicates via JSON-RPC over stdin/stdout exposing the Taskfile.yml in the current working directory:

mcp-taskfile-server

Dynamic Tool Discovery

The server automatically discovers all tasks in your Taskfile.yml and exposes each as an individual MCP tool.

Each tool automatically includes:

• Task-specific variables: Extracted from the task definition with proper defaults
• Proper descriptions: Uses task descriptions from Taskfile.yml

MCP Integration

This server implements the Model Context Protocol and can be used with any MCP-compatible client or AI assistant. The server:

1. Dynamically discovers all tasks from Taskfile.yml at startup
2. Exposes each task as an individual MCP tool with proper JSON schema
3. Automatically extracts task variables for parameter validation
4. Executes tasks natively using the go-task library (no subprocess calls)
5. Provides comprehensive error handling and feedback

Error Handling

The server handles various error conditions:

• Missing Taskfile.yml
• Invalid task names
• Task execution failures
• Invalid MCP requests

All errors are returned following MCP error response format.

Security Considerations

This server executes arbitrary commands defined in your Taskfile. Only use it in trusted environments and ensure your Taskfile doesn't contain malicious commands.

Development

To modify or extend the server:

1. Server Setup: The MCP server is created using server.NewMCPServer() from mcp-go
2. Dynamic Discovery: Tasks are discovered via taskfile.Tasks.All() from the go-task library
3. Tool Generation: Each task becomes an MCP tool via createToolForTask()
4. Variable Extraction: Task variables are automatically extracted for schema generation
5. Handler Creation: Each task gets its own handler via createTaskHandler()
6. Native Execution: Tasks are executed using executor.Run() from go-task library

Key Components

• NewTaskfileServer(): Sets up go-task executor and parses Taskfile.yml
• registerTasks(): Discovers tasks and registers them with MCP server
• createToolForTask(): Generates MCP tool schema from task definition
• createTaskHandler(): Creates execution handler for each task

Key Dependencies

• mcp-go: High-level MCP protocol implementation
• go-task: Native Taskfile.yml parsing and execution

The server uses the go-task library's native API for both parsing and execution, ensuring maximum compatibility with Taskfile.yml features.