docs : add MCP server design spec for Lesstime

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
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2026-03-15 19:08:27 +01:00
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# MCP Server for Lesstime — Design Spec
**Date**: 2026-03-15
**Status**: Draft
**Scope**: Expose projects, tasks, and time tracking via MCP for AI clients (Claude Code local first)
## Context
Lesstime is a project management app (Symfony 8 + API Platform 4). We want AI assistants to interact with projects, tasks, and time entries via the Model Context Protocol (MCP).
**Phase 1 (this spec)**: STDIO transport for Claude Code local usage.
**Phase 2 (future)**: HTTP transport + API token auth + Cloudflare Tunnel for remote clients (Claude Web, ChatGPT, Codex).
## Technology Choice
**`symfony/mcp-bundle`** — the official Symfony MCP bundle, maintained by Symfony + PHP Foundation + Anthropic. Uses PHP attributes (`#[McpTool]`) for auto-discovery.
## Architecture
### File Structure
```
src/Mcp/
├── Tool/
│ ├── Project/
│ │ ├── ListProjectsTool.php
│ │ ├── GetProjectTool.php
│ │ └── CreateProjectTool.php
│ ├── Task/
│ │ ├── ListTasksTool.php
│ │ ├── GetTaskTool.php
│ │ ├── CreateTaskTool.php
│ │ ├── UpdateTaskTool.php
│ │ └── DeleteTaskTool.php
│ ├── TaskMeta/
│ │ ├── ListStatusesTool.php
│ │ ├── ListPrioritiesTool.php
│ │ ├── ListEffortsTool.php
│ │ ├── ListTagsTool.php
│ │ └── ListGroupsTool.php
│ └── TimeEntry/
│ ├── ListTimeEntriesTool.php
│ ├── CreateTimeEntryTool.php
│ ├── UpdateTimeEntryTool.php
│ └── DeleteTimeEntryTool.php
```
### Configuration
```yaml
# config/packages/mcp.yaml
mcp:
app: 'lesstime'
version: '1.0.0'
description: 'Lesstime project management — projects, tasks, time tracking'
instructions: |
This server provides access to the Lesstime project management system.
You can list/create/update/delete projects, tasks, and time entries.
Tasks belong to projects and have statuses, priorities, efforts, tags, and groups.
Time entries track work duration and can be linked to projects and tasks.
Use list-statuses, list-priorities, list-efforts, list-tags, list-groups to discover
available metadata before creating or updating tasks.
client_transports:
stdio: true
http: false # Phase 2
```
### Claude Code Configuration
```json
// .claude/settings.json or project settings
{
"mcpServers": {
"lesstime": {
"command": "docker",
"args": ["exec", "-i", "php-lesstime-fpm", "php", "bin/console", "mcp:server"],
"cwd": "/home/r-dev/Lesstime"
}
}
}
```
Note: The app runs in Docker (`php-lesstime-fpm` container), so the command uses `docker exec` to run inside the container.
## Tools Specification
### Project Tools
#### `list-projects`
- **Description**: List all projects with optional archive filter
- **Parameters**: `archived` (bool, optional, default: false)
- **Returns**: Array of `{ id, code, name, description, color, client: { id, name } | null, archived }`
- **Implementation**: `ProjectRepository::findBy(['archived' => $archived], ['name' => 'ASC'])`
#### `get-project`
- **Description**: Get project details with task count summary per status
- **Parameters**: `id` (int, required)
- **Returns**: `{ id, code, name, description, color, client, archived, taskSummary: { statusLabel: count, ... }, totalTasks }`
- **Implementation**: `ProjectRepository::find($id)` + DQL count query grouped by status
#### `create-project`
- **Description**: Create a new project
- **Parameters**: `name` (string, required), `code` (string, required, 2-10 uppercase letters), `description` (string, optional), `color` (string, optional), `clientId` (int, optional)
- **Returns**: Created project object
- **Implementation**: Create `Project` entity, persist via `EntityManager`
### Task Tools
#### `list-tasks`
- **Description**: List tasks with filters
- **Parameters**:
- `projectId` (int, optional) — filter by project
- `statusId` (int, optional) — filter by status
- `assigneeId` (int, optional) — filter by assignee
- `priorityId` (int, optional) — filter by priority
- `groupId` (int, optional) — filter by group
- `tagIds` (int[], optional) — filter by tags
- `archived` (bool, optional, default: false)
- **Returns**: Array of `{ id, number, title, status: { id, label, color }, priority: { id, label, color } | null, assignee: { id, username } | null, effort: { id, label } | null, group: { id, title } | null, project: { id, code, name }, tags: [{ id, label }], archived }`
- **Implementation**: `TaskRepository` with QueryBuilder and conditional filters
#### `get-task`
- **Description**: Get full task details
- **Parameters**: `id` (int, required)
- **Returns**: Full task object including `{ id, number, title, description, status, priority, effort, assignee, group, project, tags, documents: [{ id, originalName, mimeType, size }], archived }`
- **Implementation**: `TaskRepository::find($id)` with eager loading
#### `create-task`
- **Description**: Create a new task (number auto-generated per project)
- **Parameters**:
- `projectId` (int, required)
- `title` (string, required)
- `description` (string, optional)
- `statusId` (int, optional)
- `priorityId` (int, optional)
- `effortId` (int, optional)
- `assigneeId` (int, optional)
- `groupId` (int, optional)
- `tagIds` (int[], optional)
- **Returns**: Created task with auto-generated number
- **Implementation**: Create `Task` entity, compute number via `TaskRepository::findMaxNumberByProject()` + 1, set relations, persist
#### `update-task`
- **Description**: Update an existing task (partial update, only provided fields are changed)
- **Parameters**:
- `id` (int, required)
- `title` (string, optional)
- `description` (string, optional)
- `statusId` (int, optional)
- `priorityId` (int, optional)
- `effortId` (int, optional)
- `assigneeId` (int, optional)
- `groupId` (int, optional)
- `tagIds` (int[], optional)
- `archived` (bool, optional)
- **Returns**: Updated task object
- **Implementation**: Find task, apply changes, flush
#### `delete-task`
- **Description**: Delete a task permanently
- **Parameters**: `id` (int, required)
- **Returns**: `{ success: true, message: "Task PROJECT-123 deleted" }`
- **Implementation**: `EntityManager::remove()` + flush (cascade deletes documents)
### TaskMeta Tools (Read-Only)
#### `list-statuses`
- **Description**: List all task statuses (needed to create/update tasks)
- **Returns**: Array of `{ id, label, color, position, isFinal }`
- **Implementation**: `TaskStatusRepository::findBy([], ['position' => 'ASC'])`
#### `list-priorities`
- **Description**: List all task priorities
- **Returns**: Array of `{ id, label, color }`
- **Implementation**: `TaskPriorityRepository::findBy([], ['label' => 'ASC'])`
#### `list-efforts`
- **Description**: List all task effort levels
- **Returns**: Array of `{ id, label }`
- **Implementation**: `TaskEffortRepository::findBy([], ['label' => 'ASC'])`
#### `list-tags`
- **Description**: List all task tags
- **Returns**: Array of `{ id, label, color }`
- **Implementation**: `TaskTagRepository::findBy([], ['label' => 'ASC'])`
#### `list-groups`
- **Description**: List task groups, optionally filtered by project
- **Parameters**: `projectId` (int, optional), `archived` (bool, optional, default: false)
- **Returns**: Array of `{ id, title, description, color, project: { id, code, name }, archived }`
- **Implementation**: `TaskGroupRepository` with optional project filter
### TimeEntry Tools
#### `list-time-entries`
- **Description**: List time entries with filters
- **Parameters**:
- `userId` (int, optional)
- `projectId` (int, optional)
- `startDate` (string, optional, format: YYYY-MM-DD)
- `endDate` (string, optional, format: YYYY-MM-DD)
- **Returns**: Array of `{ id, title, description, startedAt, stoppedAt, duration (minutes), user: { id, username }, project: { id, code, name } | null, task: { id, number, title } | null, tags: [{ id, label }] }`
- **Implementation**: `TimeEntryRepository` with QueryBuilder, date range filter on `startedAt`
#### `create-time-entry`
- **Description**: Create a time entry
- **Parameters**:
- `title` (string, required)
- `startedAt` (string, required, ISO 8601)
- `stoppedAt` (string, optional, ISO 8601 — if null, creates active timer)
- `projectId` (int, optional)
- `taskId` (int, optional)
- `tagIds` (int[], optional)
- `description` (string, optional)
- `userId` (int, required)
- **Returns**: Created time entry
- **Implementation**: Create `TimeEntry`, set relations, persist. Validate no other active timer for user if stoppedAt is null.
#### `update-time-entry`
- **Description**: Update a time entry (e.g., stop a running timer)
- **Parameters**:
- `id` (int, required)
- `title` (string, optional)
- `stoppedAt` (string, optional, ISO 8601)
- `projectId` (int, optional)
- `taskId` (int, optional)
- `tagIds` (int[], optional)
- `description` (string, optional)
- **Returns**: Updated time entry
- **Implementation**: Find entry, apply changes, flush
#### `delete-time-entry`
- **Description**: Delete a time entry
- **Parameters**: `id` (int, required)
- **Returns**: `{ success: true, message: "Time entry deleted" }`
- **Implementation**: `EntityManager::remove()` + flush
## Tool Return Format
All tools return JSON strings. For consistency:
- **List tools**: Return a JSON array of objects
- **Get/Create/Update tools**: Return a single JSON object
- **Delete tools**: Return `{ success: true, message: "..." }`
- **Errors**: Throw exceptions (the MCP bundle handles error responses)
Example tool implementation pattern:
```php
<?php
declare(strict_types=1);
namespace App\Mcp\Tool\Task;
use App\Repository\TaskRepository;
use Mcp\Capability\Attribute\McpTool;
class ListTasksTool
{
public function __construct(
private readonly TaskRepository $taskRepository,
) {
}
#[McpTool(name: 'list-tasks', description: 'List tasks with optional filters by project, status, assignee, priority, group, tags, and archive state')]
public function __invoke(
?int $projectId = null,
?int $statusId = null,
?int $assigneeId = null,
?int $priorityId = null,
?int $groupId = null,
?array $tagIds = null,
bool $archived = false,
): string {
$qb = $this->taskRepository->createQueryBuilder('t')
->leftJoin('t.status', 's')->addSelect('s')
->leftJoin('t.priority', 'p')->addSelect('p')
->leftJoin('t.assignee', 'a')->addSelect('a')
->leftJoin('t.project', 'pr')->addSelect('pr')
->where('t.archived = :archived')
->setParameter('archived', $archived)
->orderBy('t.id', 'DESC');
if ($projectId !== null) {
$qb->andWhere('pr.id = :projectId')->setParameter('projectId', $projectId);
}
if ($statusId !== null) {
$qb->andWhere('s.id = :statusId')->setParameter('statusId', $statusId);
}
if ($assigneeId !== null) {
$qb->andWhere('a.id = :assigneeId')->setParameter('assigneeId', $assigneeId);
}
if ($priorityId !== null) {
$qb->andWhere('p.id = :priorityId')->setParameter('priorityId', $priorityId);
}
if ($groupId !== null) {
$qb->andWhere('t.group = :groupId')->setParameter('groupId', $groupId);
}
$tasks = $qb->getQuery()->getResult();
// Filter by tags in PHP (ManyToMany not easily filterable in DQL)
if ($tagIds !== null) {
$tasks = array_filter($tasks, function ($task) use ($tagIds) {
$taskTagIds = $task->getTags()->map(fn($t) => $t->getId())->toArray();
return !empty(array_intersect($tagIds, $taskTagIds));
});
}
return json_encode(array_map(fn($task) => [
'id' => $task->getId(),
'number' => $task->getNumber(),
'title' => $task->getTitle(),
'status' => $task->getStatus() ? [
'id' => $task->getStatus()->getId(),
'label' => $task->getStatus()->getLabel(),
] : null,
'priority' => $task->getPriority() ? [
'id' => $task->getPriority()->getId(),
'label' => $task->getPriority()->getLabel(),
] : null,
'assignee' => $task->getAssignee() ? [
'id' => $task->getAssignee()->getId(),
'username' => $task->getAssignee()->getUsername(),
] : null,
'project' => [
'id' => $task->getProject()->getId(),
'code' => $task->getProject()->getCode(),
'name' => $task->getProject()->getName(),
],
'archived' => $task->isArchived(),
], array_values($tasks)));
}
}
```
## Installation Steps
1. `composer require symfony/mcp-bundle` (inside Docker container)
2. Create `config/packages/mcp.yaml` with STDIO transport
3. Add MCP route: `config/routes/mcp.yaml`
4. Create tool classes in `src/Mcp/Tool/`
5. Test with `php bin/console mcp:server` (STDIO)
6. Configure Claude Code settings to point to the MCP server
## Phase 2 (Future)
When ready for remote clients:
1. Enable HTTP transport on `/_mcp`
2. Add `apiToken` field on `User` entity + migration
3. Create `ApiTokenAuthenticator` (Symfony custom authenticator)
4. Add firewall rule for `/_mcp` path
5. Set up Cloudflare Tunnel for external access
6. Configure Claude Web / ChatGPT / Codex with the tunnel URL + token