Tool reference

The server exposes 44 tools. Use workflows for step-by-step examples and troubleshooting for operational failures.

All names below have the kaiten_ prefix. Arguments use snake_case. Numeric IDs are positive safe integers; directory IDs are UUID strings. ? marks an optional argument. Unknown arguments are rejected.

page means optional limit (1–100, default 25) and offset (default 0). Offset list results have {items, next_offset}. Search uses {items, next_cursor}. Single-entity results have {item}. Each result also has equivalent JSON text.

Result contracts

Successful calls return the envelope in structuredContent and the same JSON in a text entry in content. These examples show the structured payload only:

{"item": {"id": 5, "full_name": "Alex"}}

{"items": [{"id": 1, "title": "Work"}], "next_offset": null}

{
  "items": [{"id": 123, "title": "Release", "board_id": 2, "column_id": 3}],
  "next_cursor": null
}

The exact fields for each tool are advertised in its MCP outputSchema. Optional fields appear only when returned by Kaiten; unknown upstream fields are stripped. A missing field differs from an explicit null.

Read tools advertise readOnlyHint: true and idempotentHint: true. Creation tools advertise destructiveHint: false; update and removal tools advertise destructiveHint: true. All write tools advertise readOnlyHint: false and idempotentHint: false. All tools use openWorldHint: true. These annotations inform the MCP host; token permissions determine access in Kaiten.

Navigation and lookup

Tool	Arguments	Result
kaiten_list_spaces	page	Space IDs and titles
kaiten_get_space	space_id	Space details and board references when returned by Kaiten
kaiten_list_boards	space_id, page	Board IDs and titles; local pagination
kaiten_get_board	board_id	Description, columns, lanes and custom property configuration
kaiten_list_columns	board_id, page	Columns with IDs, titles, order and type; local pagination
kaiten_list_lanes	board_id, page	Lanes with IDs, titles and order; local pagination
kaiten_get_current_user	None	Current user's ID, name and available identity fields
kaiten_list_users	query?, page	Company users with IDs, names and email
kaiten_list_card_types	page	Existing type IDs and names
kaiten_list_tags	query?, space_id?, page	Existing tag IDs, names and colors

Local pagination fetches one complete upstream list and slices the requested page. It does not cache results or follow additional upstream pages.

Column column_id identifies the parent column and can be null when there is no parent. This applies to board details, column lists and card location details.

Cards

Tool	Arguments	Behavior
kaiten_search_cards	Filters below, limit?, cursor?	Version 1 search with a server continuation token
kaiten_get_card	card_id	Detailed card projection
kaiten_create_card	title, board_id, editable fields, column_id?, lane_id?, properties?	Create a card
kaiten_update_card	card_id, changes	Change supplied editable fields
kaiten_move_card	card_id, board_id, column_id, lane_id	Move to an explicit location
kaiten_archive_card	card_id	Set condition to archived (2)
kaiten_restore_card	card_id	Set condition to live (1)
kaiten_delete_card	card_id	Delete through Kaiten's DELETE endpoint

Editable fields: title, description, due_date, due_date_time_present, asap, size_text, owner_id, type_id. changes must contain at least one field. Omitted fields remain unchanged. null clears description, due_date, or size_text. Description text uses Kaiten's default Markdown format.

Dates accept YYYY-MM-DD or ISO timestamps with an explicit timezone. Boolean flags accept booleans; IDs accept numbers. A title must be a nonempty string.

Search filters: query, space_id, board_id, column_id, lane_id, owner_ids, member_ids, responsible_ids, tag_ids, type_ids, states, archived, asap, overdue, due_date_after, due_date_before. Plural ID filters are arrays. states accepts 1 (queued), 2 (in progress), 3 (done). Omitted filters retain Kaiten's defaults.

Use archived: false to search only live cards, or archived: true for archived cards. Search uses Kaiten's version 1 endpoint, ordered by card ID, and paginates with offset. The server returns that position as next_cursor; pass it as cursor with the same filters to continue. A full page may require one final empty request before next_cursor becomes null. Offset pages can shift if matching cards are added, removed or changed between requests.

Old version 2 OpenSearch cursors are incompatible. After updating, start an existing search again without cursor. The search endpoint and its pagination are documented in Kaiten's API reference.

Summaries include ID, title, location, state, condition, archive flag, due date, owner ID and update time when present. Details additionally include the full description, priority, size, type, location names, owner, memberships, tags, properties and checklist references. Comments and checklist item content use separate tools. Mutation results project fields from the write response without an additional read; fields absent in that response stay absent.

{
  "card_id": 123,
  "changes": {
    "description": "## Delivery\nImplement the agreed workflow.",
    "due_date": "2026-10-15",
    "asap": false
  }
}

Comments, memberships and tags

Tool	Arguments	Behavior
kaiten_list_comments	card_id, page	Full text and available author/timestamp fields; local pagination
kaiten_add_comment	card_id, text	Add a text comment
kaiten_update_comment	card_id, comment_id, text	Replace comment text
kaiten_delete_comment	card_id, comment_id	Delete a comment
kaiten_list_card_members	card_id, page	Membership IDs, user IDs, names and role type; local pagination
kaiten_add_card_member	card_id, user_id	Add an existing user
kaiten_update_card_member_role	card_id, member_id, type	Make the member responsible with type: 2
kaiten_remove_card_member	card_id, member_id	Remove a membership
kaiten_list_card_tags	card_id, page	Attached tags including tag_id; local pagination
kaiten_add_card_tag	card_id, name	Attach by name; Kaiten may create a missing tag
kaiten_remove_card_tag	card_id, tag_id	Detach a tag

Use the membership id for member_id, and its user_id for the user. For tag removal use tag_id from the card tag list. Successful deletion responses contain the ID confirmed by Kaiten.

Role updates accept only type: 2. Their result contains card_id, user_id, type and available timestamps; Kaiten does not return a membership id.

Checklists

Tool	Arguments	Behavior
kaiten_list_checklists	card_id, page	Read references from the card; local pagination
kaiten_get_checklist	card_id, checklist_id	Read the checklist and all its items
kaiten_create_checklist	card_id, name, sort_order?	Create an empty checklist
kaiten_update_checklist	card_id, checklist_id, changes	Update name and/or sort_order
kaiten_delete_checklist	card_id, checklist_id	Remove the checklist from the card
kaiten_add_checklist_item	card_id, checklist_id, text, item fields	Add an item
kaiten_update_checklist_item	card_id, checklist_id, item_id, changes	Change supplied item fields
kaiten_delete_checklist_item	card_id, checklist_id, item_id	Delete an item

Optional item fields: checked, sort_order, due_date, responsible_id. Item changes support these fields and text. checked: true marks completion; false clears it. due_date: null clears the deadline and responsible_id: null clears responsibility on update. text: null or an empty string clears item text on update; adding an item requires nonempty text. An update requires at least one field.

Existing custom properties

Tool	Arguments	Behavior
kaiten_list_custom_properties	query?, page	Find definitions with type and settings
kaiten_get_custom_property	property_id	Get one definition
kaiten_list_select_values	property_id, query?, page	Find existing select option IDs and values
kaiten_list_catalog_values	property_id, query?, page	Find existing catalog value IDs and values
kaiten_list_custom_directories	query?, page	Read directories with field definitions
kaiten_list_custom_directory_records	directory_id, query?, page	Read existing records with their values
kaiten_set_card_properties	card_id, properties	Assign or clear a nonempty map of card property values

Read the definition and relevant options first. Property keys use id_<positive property ID>. Values use Kaiten's native JSON representation:

Property	Value example
String, URL, email, phone	"value"
Number or rating	12
Select or multiselect	[12] or [12, 13] using option IDs
Catalog	"3" using a catalog value ID
Custom directory	["12345678-1234-4234-8234-123456789abc"] using record UUIDs
Date	{"date":"2026-10-15","time":"12:00:00","tzOffset":180}
Clear the value	null

The server validates keys and JSON values; Kaiten validates compatibility with the property's type and permissions. Fields not included in properties are not sent. Definitions, options and directory records are read-only in this version.

{
  "card_id": 123,
  "properties": {
    "id_7": [12, 13],
    "id_8": null
  }
}