Basecamp
MCP ServerFree** - Integration with Basecamp project management platform for managing projects, to-dos, card tables, documents, and team collaboration
Capabilities11 decomposed
oauth 2.0 token-based authentication with automatic refresh
Medium confidenceImplements a complete OAuth 2.0 flow using a Flask-based web interface (oauth_app.py) that handles token exchange, local storage with expiration detection, and automatic token refresh without user intervention. The system stores tokens locally and detects expiration via get_token() and store_token() functions, automatically refreshing credentials before API calls fail, eliminating manual re-authentication cycles.
Uses a layered token management approach with local expiration detection and automatic refresh hooks integrated into the BasecampClient class, eliminating the need for manual token rotation while maintaining offline token storage for development environments.
Simpler than full credential management systems like HashiCorp Vault but more secure than hardcoded API keys, with automatic refresh built into the HTTP client layer rather than requiring external token services.
mcp protocol bridging with fastmcp framework
Medium confidenceWraps the Basecamp 3 REST API as a standardized Model Context Protocol (MCP) server using Anthropic's FastMCP framework (basecamp_fastmcp.py), exposing 46 tools through async function decorators that handle protocol compliance, tool registration, and request/response marshaling. The FastMCP('basecamp') instance automatically converts Python function signatures into MCP tool schemas and manages bidirectional communication with AI clients like Claude Desktop and Cursor IDE.
Evolved from custom JSON-RPC implementation to official Anthropic FastMCP framework while maintaining backward compatibility, using async function decorators to auto-register 46 tools without manual schema definition, reducing maintenance burden.
More maintainable than custom JSON-RPC servers because tool schemas are auto-generated from function signatures; more standardized than REST wrappers because it uses the official MCP protocol, enabling compatibility across multiple AI IDEs.
project enumeration and metadata retrieval
Medium confidenceExposes get_projects() and get_project() tools that retrieve all accessible Basecamp projects or specific project details including metadata (name, description, status, members). The implementation enables AI agents to discover available projects and understand project structure before performing operations.
Provides both list and detail endpoints for projects, enabling AI agents to discover projects and retrieve detailed metadata in separate calls, supporting both discovery workflows and context-aware operations.
More accessible than raw API calls because it abstracts Basecamp's project endpoints; less comprehensive than full project management systems because it only exposes basic metadata.
cross-project search with result aggregation
Medium confidenceImplements a BasecampSearch class that executes search queries across all accessible Basecamp projects simultaneously, aggregating results from multiple API endpoints and deduplicating matches. The search_basecamp() and global_search() tools support both project-scoped and workspace-wide queries, with result optimization that filters and ranks matches across todos, documents, messages, and other content types.
Implements client-side result aggregation across multiple Basecamp API endpoints rather than relying on a single search endpoint, enabling cross-content-type queries (todos + documents + messages in one call) that the native Basecamp API doesn't support.
More comprehensive than Basecamp's native search because it queries multiple content types simultaneously; faster than manual project-by-project searching but slower than a dedicated search index like Elasticsearch.
todo list and item crud with state management
Medium confidenceProvides complete todo lifecycle management through get_todolists(), get_todos(), create_todo(), update_todo(), delete_todo(), complete_todo(), and uncomplete_todo() tools that map directly to Basecamp 3 API endpoints. The implementation handles todo state transitions (pending → completed → pending) and supports bulk operations, with each tool accepting structured parameters for title, description, due dates, and assignee information.
Implements complete todo lifecycle including state transitions (complete/uncomplete) as separate tools rather than generic update operations, providing explicit intent signaling for status changes while maintaining compatibility with Basecamp's todo model.
More granular than generic REST CRUD because it exposes domain-specific operations (complete_todo vs generic update); simpler than building custom workflow engines because it maps directly to Basecamp's native todo model.
kanban board management with card and column operations
Medium confidenceExposes card table (Kanban board) functionality through get_card_table(), get_columns(), get_cards(), create_card(), update_card(), move_card(), create_column(), update_column(), and move_column() tools that manage board structure and card positioning. The implementation supports hierarchical card organization with card steps (sub-tasks) via get_card_steps() and create_card_step(), enabling multi-level task breakdown within a single card table.
Implements hierarchical task organization with card steps (sub-tasks) as first-class operations, allowing AI agents to break down complex cards into actionable sub-tasks while maintaining board-level visibility, a pattern not commonly exposed in REST APIs.
More flexible than simple card CRUD because it supports sub-task management; more lightweight than full project management frameworks because it maps directly to Basecamp's card table model without abstraction layers.
document and file retrieval with metadata extraction
Medium confidenceProvides document access through get_documents() and related tools that retrieve document metadata, content, and file information from Basecamp projects. The implementation extracts structured metadata including creator, timestamps, and file references, enabling AI agents to index and analyze project documentation without manual file downloads.
Extracts document metadata and file references as structured data rather than requiring manual file downloads, enabling AI agents to build knowledge indexes without filesystem operations, though actual content requires separate HTTP requests to file URLs.
More accessible than raw file downloads because metadata is immediately available; less comprehensive than full-text search systems because it doesn't index document content, requiring external indexing for semantic search.
communication retrieval with campfire messages and comments
Medium confidenceExposes team communication through get_campfire_lines() for chat messages and get_comments() for item-level comments, retrieving conversation history with metadata including creator, timestamp, and content. The implementation supports querying comments on any Basecamp item (todos, documents, cards) enabling AI agents to understand discussion context and decision rationale.
Unifies campfire (project chat) and item-level comments into a single communication retrieval interface, allowing AI agents to understand both team-wide discussions and item-specific decision rationale without separate API calls.
More contextual than raw message retrieval because it includes item-level comments; less sophisticated than conversation threading systems because Basecamp doesn't support nested replies.
check-in and questionnaire data access
Medium confidenceProvides access to Basecamp's check-in and questionnaire features through get_daily_check_ins() and get_question_answers() tools, retrieving structured responses with metadata. The implementation enables AI agents to aggregate team status updates and survey responses for reporting, trend analysis, and team health monitoring.
Exposes Basecamp's structured check-in and questionnaire data as queryable endpoints, enabling AI agents to perform team health analysis and trend detection without manual survey aggregation, though actual trend analysis requires external analytics.
More structured than raw communication retrieval because check-ins are pre-formatted; less comprehensive than dedicated survey tools because Basecamp's questionnaire features are limited to simple Q&A.
client-specific mcp configuration generation
Medium confidenceProvides automated configuration generation for different AI clients through generate_cursor_config.py and generate_claude_desktop_config.py, creating client-specific MCP server configuration files with proper paths, environment variables, and tool registration. The implementation handles client-specific requirements (Cursor vs Claude Desktop) and generates ready-to-use configuration without manual editing.
Generates client-specific MCP configurations automatically rather than requiring manual JSON editing, reducing setup friction and configuration errors while maintaining compatibility with both Cursor and Claude Desktop.
More user-friendly than manual JSON configuration because it auto-generates paths and environment variables; less flexible than manual config because it only supports predefined client types.
http client with rate limiting and error handling
Medium confidenceImplements BasecampClient class with built-in rate limiting, automatic retry logic, and error handling for Basecamp API interactions. The client manages HTTP session pooling, request/response logging, and graceful degradation when rate limits are exceeded, with exponential backoff for transient failures.
Integrates rate limiting and retry logic directly into the HTTP client layer rather than requiring tool-level handling, reducing boilerplate across all 46 MCP tools while maintaining consistent error handling and logging.
More convenient than manual retry logic because it's transparent to tool implementations; less sophisticated than dedicated API client libraries like httpx because it doesn't support streaming or advanced connection pooling.
Capabilities are decomposed by AI analysis. Each maps to specific user intents and improves with match feedback.
Related Artifactssharing capabilities
Artifacts that share capabilities with Basecamp, ranked by overlap. Discovered automatically through the match graph.
mcp-auth
Plug and play auth for Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers
mcp-auth
Plug and play auth for Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers
mcp-remote
Remote proxy for Model Context Protocol, allowing local-only clients to connect to remote servers using oAuth
@mcp-use/cli
The mcp-use CLI is a tool for building and deploying MCP servers with support for ChatGPT Apps, Code Mode, OAuth, Notifications, Sampling, Observability and more.
modelcontextprotocol
Specification and documentation for the Model Context Protocol
typescript-sdk
The official TypeScript SDK for Model Context Protocol servers and clients
Best For
- ✓AI development teams using Cursor IDE or Claude Desktop with Basecamp
- ✓Developers building MCP integrations requiring OAuth flows
- ✓Organizations needing secure, token-based API access without credential storage
- ✓Teams using Claude Desktop or Cursor IDE as primary development environments
- ✓Developers building AI agents that need structured access to project management data
- ✓Organizations standardizing on MCP for tool integration across AI platforms
- ✓AI agents that need to discover available projects before taking action
- ✓Developers building project-aware workflows
Known Limitations
- ⚠Tokens stored locally in plaintext — no encryption at rest, requires filesystem security
- ⚠OAuth flow requires browser interaction for initial authorization, cannot be fully automated
- ⚠Token refresh logic is synchronous, may add latency on first API call after expiration
- ⚠FastMCP framework adds ~50-100ms overhead per tool invocation for protocol serialization
- ⚠Tool schemas are generated at server startup — dynamic tool registration requires server restart
- ⚠Limited to async/await patterns, no support for streaming responses in current implementation
Requirements
Input / Output
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** - Integration with Basecamp project management platform for managing projects, to-dos, card tables, documents, and team collaboration
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