Your kanban board lives in your repo.
Kanbn keeps your board and tasks as plain markdown files next to your code. Plan, move and track work from the terminal, and commit it alongside everything else.
npm install -g @basementuniverse/kanbn- ─ plain markdown, no database
- ─ diffable in git
- ─ works offline
- ─ scriptable by you, or your AI agent
Everything a board needs, nothing that gets in the way.
Markdown all the way down
The board is an index file, each task is its own .md file with front matter. Edit them by hand whenever you like.
Fuzzy task ids
Type any unique part of an id — kanbn task invoice — or leave it out and pick from a list.
Tab completion
Commands, options, task ids, columns, boards, tags, assignees and sprints — in bash, zsh and fish.
Sprints & burndown
Start a sprint, then watch the burndown chart draw itself right in your terminal.
Multiple boards
Keep several boards in one workspace, with views and lanes to slice them however your team works.
Gantt charts
Generate a Gantt chart from task dates and see the shape of a project at a glance.
Validate, archive, restore
Check the index and task files for problems, and move finished work into an archive without losing it.
History & contributors
See how a task changed over time, add comments, and list who is working on what.
It's just files. Your tools already understand them.
Run kanbn init and a .kanbn folder appears in your project. Review task changes in pull requests, grep them, script them.
saas-app/ ├── .kanbn/ │ ├── index.md │ ├── tasks/ │ │ ├── build-tenant-settings-page.md │ │ ├── setup-ci-pipeline.md │ │ └── … │ └── archive/ ├── src/ └── package.json
# Example SaaS Project ## Todo - [add-passwordless-login-option]( tasks/add-passwordless-login-option.md) ## In Progress - [build-tenant-settings-page]( tasks/build-tenant-settings-page.md) ## Done - [setup-ci-pipeline]( tasks/setup-ci-pipeline.md)
--- assigned: Ravi due: 2026-07-06T11:00:00Z tags: [Ops, Small] --- # Build Tenant Settings Page Let workspace admins manage tenant name, region and plan. ## Sub-tasks - [ ] Settings form - [ ] Region picker - [ ] Audit log entry
From zero to board in four commands.
- 01Install globally
$ npm i -g @basementuniverse/kanbn - 02Initialise a board in your project
$ kanbn init - 03Add a task
$ kanbn add - 04See the board
$ kanbn board
Hand the board to your AI assistant.
kanbn-mcp is a Model Context Protocol server that wraps Kanbn's task and board APIs. Agents can check board status, create, edit and archive tasks, and move work between columns — without needing shell access.
npm install -g @kduling/kanbn-mcp- Claude Desktop / Code
- opencode
- Cline
- GitHub Copilot (VS Code)
- Windsurf
- any MCP host
{
"mcpServers": {
"kanbn": {
"command": "kanbn-mcp",
"args": []
}
}
}- kanbn_status
- kanbn_create_task
- kanbn_edit_task
- kanbn_move_task
- kanbn_search
- kanbn_archive_task
- kanbn_burndown
- kanbn_list_boards
- kanbn_validate_board
- … 50+ tools in total
kanbn help
Full command reference- initInitialise kanbn board
- boardShow the kanbn board
- boardsList boards in the workspace
- addAdd a kanbn task
- taskShow a kanbn task
- editEdit a kanbn task
- moveMove a task to another column
- commentAdd a comment to a task
- findSearch for kanbn tasks
- statusProject and task statistics
- sprintStart a new sprint
- burndownView a burndown chart
- ganttGenerate a Gantt chart
- validateValidate index and task files
- archiveArchive a task
- historyShow task history
- contributorsList contributors
- completionSet up tab completion
Stop alt-tabbing to a browser to move a card.
Free and open source under the MIT licence. A Kanbn web app is on the way, built on the same files.