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AI Agent Integration

Backlog is designed for seamless integration with AI agents through two primary methods: the Model Context Protocol (MCP) server and direct CLI calls.

Backlog includes an MCP server that exposes task management capabilities as structured tools. This is the recommended approach for AI agents that support tool use, as it provides a clear, typed API for interaction.

Available Tools

  • task_create: Create new tasks with full metadata.
  • task_list: List and filter tasks.
  • task_view: Get detailed information for a specific task.
  • task_edit: Update existing tasks.
  • task_archive: Archive tasks so they are not displayed in lists but remain in the repository.

Usage

To make these tools available to an agent:

  1. Instruct your AI tools with backlog instructions --mcp
  2. Start the MCP server
# Instruct agent how to interact with backlog.
backlog instructions --mode mcp >> AGENTS.md

# Start MCP server for AI integration (HTTP transport)
backlog mcp --http --port 8106

# Or start the server using STDIO transport
backlog mcp

AI agents configured to use this server can then reliably perform task operations like creating tasks, breaking down large projects, and updating progress.

2. Direct CLI Usage

For agents that are proficient with shell commands, or for workflows where token usage is a concern, backlog can be used directly as a command-line tool. The agent can construct and execute backlog commands just as a human developer would.

This method bypasses the MCP server, which can reduce overhead and token consumption associated with JSON-based tool calls.

Example CLI Usage by an Agent

An agent could be instructed to use backlog with backlog instructions --cli

# Instruct agent how to interact with backlog.
backlog instructions --mode cli >> AGENTS.md

# Agent creates a new task
backlog create "Refactor the authentication module" -d "The current module is hard to test."

# Agent lists tasks to see what's next
backlog list --status "todo" --priority "high"

# Agent marks a task as complete
backlog edit T05 --status "done"

Choosing the Right Method

  • Use MCP Server when: Your agent has robust tool-use capabilities and you prefer structured, predictable interactions.
  • Use Direct CLI when: Your agent is skilled at generating shell commands, you want to minimize token usage, or you need the full flexibility of the CLI flags not exposed via MCP.