Claude Code Setup

Complete guide to using Task Master with Claude Code

Claude Code Integration

Task Master works seamlessly with Claude Code through multiple integration methods. This guide consolidates all Claude Code setup options in one place.

Understanding the Options

Task Master offers three ways to integrate with Claude Code:

1. MCP Server (Recommended) - Use task-master-ai MCP server for AI-powered task management
2. Plugin Marketplace - Install Task Master plugin with slash commands
3. Claude Code Provider - Use Claude Code’s local models (no API key needed)

Package naming clarity:

• task-master-ai = The MCP server package (what you install via npx)
• task-master = The CLI command (what you run in terminal)
• These are the same package, just different names for different contexts

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Option 1: MCP Server (Recommended)

The MCP server lets Claude Code directly manage your tasks through natural language.

Quick Install

claude mcp add taskmaster-ai -- npx -y task-master-ai

What You Get

• Direct task management from Claude Code chat
• AI-powered PRD parsing, task expansion, and complexity analysis
• Natural language task queries and updates
• 7-44 MCP tools (configurable)

Configuration

After installation, add your API keys to .mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "task-master-ai": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "task-master-ai"],
      "env": {
        "TASK_MASTER_TOOLS": "core",  // Options: "core", "standard", "all"
        "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "YOUR_KEY_HERE",
        "PERPLEXITY_API_KEY": "YOUR_KEY_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Tool Loading Modes

Control which tools are loaded to optimize context usage:

Mode	Tools	Use Case
core	7	Daily development workflow
standard	15	Common task management
all	44+	Full feature set

See the MCP Tools documentation for details.

Usage Examples

Once configured, interact with Task Master naturally in Claude Code:

You: Parse my PRD at .taskmaster/docs/prd.md
You: What's the next task I should work on?
You: Show me task 1.2 details
You: Mark task 1.2 as done
You: Expand task 3 into subtasks

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Option 2: Plugin Marketplace

The plugin provides 49 slash commands and 3 specialized AI agents for comprehensive task management.

Installation

# Add the marketplace
/plugin marketplace add eyaltoledano/claude-task-master

# Install the plugin
/plugin install taskmaster@taskmaster

What You Get

• 49 slash commands organized by category
• Quick commands like /tm:next, /tm:list, /tm:show
• Setup commands like /tm:init, /tm:parse-prd
• Workflow automation with /tm:workflows/*

Quick Start Commands

/tm:init                    # Initialize project
/tm:parse-prd              # Parse requirements
/tm:next                   # Get next task
/tm:set-status/to-done 1.2 # Mark task complete

See Plugin Documentation for the complete command list.

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Option 3: Claude Code Provider

Use Claude Code’s local models for Task Master AI operations (no API key required).

Setup

1. Install and authenticate Claude Code CLI:

claude setup-token

2. Configure Task Master to use Claude Code:

task-master models --set-main claude-code/sonnet

Or update .taskmaster/config.json:

{
  "models": {
    "main": "claude-code/sonnet",
    "fallback": "claude-code/opus"
  }
}

Available Models

• claude-code/sonnet - Claude 3.5 Sonnet
• claude-code/opus - Claude 3 Opus

Benefits

• No API key required (uses your Claude Code authentication)
• Native structured outputs with schema compliance
• Works with all Task Master AI-powered commands

Usage

Once configured, all Task Master commands automatically use Claude Code:

task-master parse-prd .taskmaster/docs/prd.md
task-master expand --id=1 --research
task-master analyze-complexity

See Claude Code Provider docs for advanced configuration.

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Comparison: Which Option Should I Use?

Feature	MCP Server	Plugin	Provider
Natural language in chat	✅ Yes	Limited	❌ No
Slash commands	❌ No	✅ 49 commands	❌ No
No API key needed	❌ Requires API key	❌ Requires API key	✅ Yes
AI-powered operations	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Context optimization	✅ Configurable	✅ Built-in	N/A
Best for	Chat-first workflow	Command-first workflow	Cost-conscious users

Recommended Setup: Use MCP Server + Claude Code Provider together:

• MCP Server for natural language task management in chat
• Claude Code Provider to eliminate API key costs
• Best of both worlds!

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Troubleshooting

”0 tools enabled” in MCP settings

Solution: Restart your editor and verify API keys are correctly configured in .mcp.json.

Confusion between task-master-ai and task-master

• task-master-ai is the MCP server package name (used in npx commands)
• task-master is the CLI command name (used in terminal)
• They’re the same package, just different contexts

Claude Code authentication failures

# Re-authenticate
claude setup-token

# Verify token
claude setup-token --verify

Plugin not appearing

# Update marketplace
/plugin marketplace update taskmaster

# Reinstall
/plugin install taskmaster@taskmaster

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Next Steps

Quick Start Guide

Get started with Task Master in minutes

MCP Tools Reference

Complete MCP tools documentation

Command Reference

All CLI commands

Configuration

Customize Task Master

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Additional Resources

• Claude Code CLI Documentation
• Task Master Discord Community
• GitHub Issues