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Connect Nirvana to external AI clients via MCP

Nirvana has a native Model Context Protocol (MCP) server. Connect it to Claude Desktop, Claude.ai, Cursor, ChatGPT, or any other MCP-compatible AI client to give that client full read/write access to your tasks and projects — without needing the Nirvana app open.

This is separate from Nirvana's built-in AI assistant, which runs inside the app. The MCP integration is for external AI clients that you use with your own account.

What the MCP connection gives the AI client access to

Once connected, the AI client can:

  • Read your tasks — by state (Next, Waiting, Scheduled, etc.), project, tag, or date range
  • Create tasks — with a name, notes, due date, state, and tags
  • Update tasks — change name, notes, due date, state, or tags
  • Read your tags — see all your contexts, areas, and contacts
  • Read task counts — totals by state

The client can only access your own data. It cannot access any other user's account.

Option A — Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or Cursor (Personal Access Token)

These local AI clients use a Personal Access Token (PAT) for authentication.

Step 1: Generate a token

  1. Go to mcp.nirvanahq.com/tokens and log in with your Nirvana credentials.
  2. Click New Token, give it a name (e.g. "Claude Desktop"), and copy the token.

Keep this token private. Anyone with the token can read and modify your tasks. It cannot be recovered if lost — you'll need to generate a new one.

Step 2: Add Nirvana to Claude Desktop

  1. Open Claude Desktop and go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config (or locate claude_desktop_config.json in your config folder).
  2. Add the following under mcpServers:
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nirvana": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.nirvanahq.com/mcp"],
      "env": {
        "AUTHORIZATION": "Bearer YOUR_PAT_TOKEN_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}
  1. Replace YOUR_PAT_TOKEN_HERE with the token you generated.
  2. Restart Claude Desktop.

Nirvana will now appear as a connected tool. Try asking: "What's in my Nirvana Next list?"

Option B — Claude.ai or ChatGPT (OAuth)

These web-based clients use OAuth for authentication — no tokens to manage manually.

  1. In your AI client, look for Add Tools, Integrations, or MCP Servers (the label varies by client).
  2. Enter the Nirvana MCP server URL: https://mcp.nirvanahq.com/mcp
  3. When prompted, log in with your Nirvana credentials and authorize access.

The client receives a time-limited access token that refreshes automatically. You can revoke access at any time from the tokens page.

Verify the connection

Once connected, try:

  • "What's in my Nirvana Inbox?"
  • "How many tasks do I have in Next?"
  • "Add 'test MCP connection' to my Nirvana Inbox."

Manage and revoke access

Visit mcp.nirvanahq.com/tokens to:

  • View all active tokens and OAuth sessions
  • Revoke access for any client at any time

If a token is ever compromised, revoke it immediately and generate a new one.