DOCS / MODEL CONTEXT PROTOCOL
MCP server live · 6 tools exposed

Connect your editor to Tandem.
One config. Every agent.

Tandem ships a Model Context Protocol server. Drop one config block into Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf, OpenAI Codex CLI, VS Code Copilot, or OpenClaw — your agent gets read/write access to your task pipeline, project switcher, and activity log without leaving the chat. No API keys. No round-trips through a browser.

6 compatible clients 6 MCP tools exposed 0 external dependencies Stdio transport · localhost

§1Compatible clients

Every editor and CLI below speaks MCP natively. Tandem's server is just another entry in their server list — no plugin, no extension, no marketplace install.

.cursor/mcp.json
Per-project MCP servers. Restart the chat panel after editing.
~/.claude.json
Anthropic's official CLI. Project-level .mcp.json also supported.
~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json
Codeium's agentic IDE. Same JSON schema as Cursor.
~/.codex/config.toml
OpenAI's terminal coding agent. TOML config — not JSON.
.vscode/mcp.json
GitHub Copilot's agent mode. Workspace-scoped servers.
~/.openclaw/mcp.json
Open-source Claude Code fork. Drop-in compatible config.

§2Setup — pick your editor

Click a tab, copy the block, paste it into the listed file. That's the whole setup. Restart your editor's chat panel and ask “list my tasks” to verify.

Edit .cursor/mcp.json in your project root (create if missing).
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tandem": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": ["/home/user/Desktop/claude-brain/project-workspace/Tandem/app/mcp/__main__.py"]
    }
  }
}
Cursor reloads MCP servers when the chat panel reopens. If you don't see tandem in the tools list, check View → Output → Cursor MCP for stderr.
Edit ~/.claude.json (user-level) or .mcp.json (project-level).
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tandem": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": ["/home/user/Desktop/claude-brain/project-workspace/Tandem/app/mcp/__main__.py"]
    }
  }
}
Project-level .mcp.json takes precedence and travels with the repo — preferred for team setups. Run claude mcp list to confirm registration.
Edit ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json.
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tandem": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": ["/home/user/Desktop/claude-brain/project-workspace/Tandem/app/mcp/__main__.py"]
    }
  }
}
Refresh from Cascade → MCP servers → Refresh. Windsurf surfaces tool errors in the Cascade panel directly.
Edit ~/.codex/config.toml — TOML, not JSON.
[mcp_servers.tandem]
command = "python3"
args = ["/home/user/Desktop/claude-brain/project-workspace/Tandem/app/mcp/__main__.py"]
Codex CLI uses TOML for its config. Section header is [mcp_servers.<name>] — one per server. Run codex --help for transport flags.
Edit .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace.
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tandem": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": ["/home/user/Desktop/claude-brain/project-workspace/Tandem/app/mcp/__main__.py"]
    }
  }
}
Requires the GitHub Copilot extension with agent mode enabled. After saving, open the Copilot Chat view and toggle Agent — tools will appear in the tool picker.

§3What this unlocks

Six tools, one purpose: keep your agent in the loop on what you're working on without context-switching to the dashboard.

tandem_list_tasks
Ask your agent: what am I working on?
tandem_get_task
Full task context on demand.
tandem_create_task
Capture a new task without leaving the editor.
tandem_update_task
Move tasks through the pipeline from chat.
tandem_list_projects
Switch project context instantly.
tandem_append_activity
Write session notes to the task log.

§4Alongside the MCP ecosystem

Every MCP-aware client supports multiple servers running in parallel. Tandem is one entry next to GitHub, Linear, Notion, and anything else you already use — they don't conflict, they compose.

Combined config example — Tandem alongside GitHub, Linear, and Notion in a single Cursor/Claude Code/Windsurf mcp.json:
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tandem": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": ["/home/user/Desktop/claude-brain/project-workspace/Tandem/app/mcp/__main__.py"]
    },
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
      "env": { "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "ghp_..." }
    },
    "linear": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@linear/mcp-server"],
      "env": { "LINEAR_API_KEY": "lin_api_..." }
    },
    "notion": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@notionhq/mcp-server"],
      "env": { "NOTION_API_KEY": "secret_..." }
    }
  }
}
GitHub MCP, Linear MCP, and Notion MCP are separate open-source servers maintained by their respective vendors. Tandem doesn't ship, bundle, or rebrand them — the example above just shows that they coexist in the same config file. Replace the placeholder tokens with your own.