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Pedro Gomes Branquinho edited this page Feb 15, 2026 · 1 revision

In-Memory Kanban

The memory-backed kanban system provides lightweight task tracking stored in Chroma memory. Unlike traditional org-file based kanban, this system is project-scoped, has automatic TTL expiration, and integrates seamlessly with ling workflows.

Overview

Aspect Details
Storage Chroma memory (not org files)
Scoping Project-scoped via directory parameter
TTL Short-term duration (7 days)
Use Case Session task tracking for agents

Data Flow:

Task Create → Chroma Memory → Status Updates → Done (DELETE)

How It Works

Tasks are stored as memory entries with structured metadata:

{:type "note"
 :tags ["kanban" "todo" "priority-medium"]
 :content {:task-type "kanban"
           :title "Implement user auth"
           :status "todo"
           :priority "medium"
           :context "Additional notes..."
           :created-at "2026-01-22T10:30:00Z"}}

Storage Details

  • Type: note (enables memory queries)
  • Duration: short (7-day TTL, auto-expires)
  • Tags: Combination of:
    • kanban - identifies as kanban task
    • Status tag: todo, doing, or review
    • Priority tag: priority-high, priority-medium, or priority-low

Project Scoping

Tasks are scoped to a project via the directory parameter. The project ID is derived from the directory path.

Always pass the directory parameter:

mcp_mem_kanban_list_slim(directory: "/home/user/projects/my-project")

Without proper scoping:

  • Tasks may be invisible to queries
  • Cross-project task contamination
  • Incorrect kanban stats

MCP Tools

Tool Purpose Required Params
mcp_mem_kanban_create Create task with full options title
mcp_mem_kanban_quick Quick add (todo, medium) title
mcp_mem_kanban_list_slim List tasks (token-efficient) -
mcp_mem_kanban_move Move task to new status task_id, new_status
mcp_mem_kanban_stats Get counts by status -

Creating Tasks

Full control:

mcp__hive__mcp_mem_kanban_create(
  title: "Implement user authentication",
  priority: "high",
  context: "Use JWT tokens, integrate with existing user model",
  directory: "/path/to/project"
)

Quick add (defaults: todo, medium priority):

mcp__hive__mcp_mem_kanban_quick(
  title: "Fix login bug",
  directory: "/path/to/project"
)

Listing Tasks

List tasks (id, title, status, priority):

mcp__hive__mcp_mem_kanban_list_slim(
  directory: "/path/to/project"
)

Filter by status:

mcp__hive__mcp_mem_kanban_list_slim(
  status: "doing",
  directory: "/path/to/project"
)

Moving Tasks

mcp__hive__mcp_mem_kanban_move(
  task_id: "kanban-task-abc123",
  new_status: "doing",
  directory: "/path/to/project"
)

Getting Stats

mcp__hive__mcp_mem_kanban_stats(
  directory: "/path/to/project"
)

Returns:

{
  "todo": 3,
  "doing": 1,
  "review": 2,
  "total": 6
}

Task Statuses

Status Meaning Behavior
todo Not started Default for new tasks
doing In progress Active work
review Awaiting review Pending verification
done Completed DELETES from memory

Done Deletes Tasks

Moving a task to done permanently removes it from memory. This is intentional:

  • Tasks are ephemeral tracking aids, not permanent records
  • Session summaries capture completed work via /wrap
  • Prevents stale task accumulation
  • Memory stays clean and relevant

If you need to preserve completion history, use /wrap before marking tasks done.

Integration with Ling Workflow

At Session Start

Lings should check for in-progress tasks:

# Check what's in progress
mcp__hive__mcp_mem_kanban_list_slim(
  status: "doing",
  directory: "/path/to/project"
)

During Work

Move tasks as you progress:

# Start working on a task
mcp__hive__mcp_mem_kanban_move(
  task_id: "task-123",
  new_status: "doing",
  directory: "/path/to/project"
)

# ... do work ...

# Ready for review
mcp__hive__mcp_mem_kanban_move(
  task_id: "task-123",
  new_status: "review",
  directory: "/path/to/project"
)

At Session End

Before /wrap, complete tasks:

# Mark completed
mcp__hive__mcp_mem_kanban_move(
  task_id: "task-123",
  new_status: "done",
  directory: "/path/to/project"
)

# Then wrap
/wrap

Or use session_complete to do it all at once:

mcp__hive__session_complete(
  commit_msg: "feat: implement user auth",
  task_ids: ["task-123", "task-456"],
  agent_id: "your-CLAUDE_SWARM_SLAVE_ID",
  directory: "/path/to/project"
)

Lifecycle Diagram

┌─────────┐    create    ┌──────┐
│  Agent  │─────────────►│ TODO │
└─────────┘              └──┬───┘
                            │ move
                            ▼
                        ┌───────┐
                        │ DOING │◄──────┐
                        └──┬────┘       │
                           │ move       │ (rework)
                           ▼            │
                       ┌────────┐       │
                       │ REVIEW │───────┘
                       └──┬─────┘
                          │ move
                          ▼
                       ┌──────┐
                       │ DONE │──► DELETED from memory
                       └──────┘

Catchup Integration

The /catchup skill queries in-memory kanban automatically:

### In-Progress Tasks (Kanban)
- **[high]** task-abc: Implement user authentication
- **[medium]** task-def: Fix login bug

### Recommended Starting Point
1. Continue "Implement user authentication" task

Stale TODO tasks (> 5 days old) are flagged for attention.

Comparison with Org-File Kanban

Feature Memory Kanban Org-File Kanban
Storage Chroma .org files
TTL 7 days Permanent
Project Scope Automatic Manual
Tools mcp_mem_kanban_* mcp_kanban_*
Best For Agent sessions Long-term roadmaps

Use memory kanban for session-level task tracking. Use org-file kanban for project roadmaps and long-term planning.

Troubleshooting

Tasks Not Appearing

Symptom: Created tasks don't show in list.

Checks:

  1. Verify Chroma is running:

    curl http://localhost:8000/api/v1/heartbeat

  2. Check project scope:

    mcp__hive__mcp_mem_kanban_list_slim(
  directory: "/correct/project/path"
)

  3. Query raw memory:

    mcp__hive__mcp_memory_query(
  type: "note",
  tags: ["kanban"],
  directory: "/path/to/project"
)

Task Disappeared After 7 Days

Symptom: Older tasks are missing.

Explanation: This is expected behavior. Memory kanban uses short duration (7-day TTL). Tasks expire automatically.

Mitigation:

  • Complete or review tasks within the TTL window
  • For long-term tracking, use org-file kanban instead
  • Important context should be captured in /wrap before tasks expire

Wrong Project Tasks Showing

Symptom: Tasks from other projects appear in list.

Fix: Always pass the directory parameter explicitly:

mcp__hive__mcp_mem_kanban_list_slim(
  directory: "/home/user/projects/THIS-project"
)

Related Pages

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