Connect devBoard to Claude Desktop

By Darko Bačić, founder of App Tube · 9 October 2026 · Facts checked 9 October 2026

When you finish, Claude Desktop can read your devBoard tasks, comment, move cards and track your time. It takes about five minutes if Node.js is already on your computer.

MCP is the open standard that lets an AI assistant use other tools. devBoard is an MCP server. Claude Desktop is the client. A token is a secret key that lets a tool act as you.

Claude Desktop only starts local commands from its config file. So it reaches devBoard through mcp-remote, a small helper that passes each call on.

What you need

• devBoard on a Mac, signed in. Tokens are made in the Mac app only.
• The workspace you want to connect, open in the app.
• Your role is member, admin or owner. A guest cannot make a token.
• Claude Desktop on Mac or Windows.
• Node.js. Run node --version in a terminal. If you see no version number, install the LTS version from nodejs.org.

Steps

1. Open the right workspace

A token belongs to the workspace that is open when you make it. If you have several, switch to the right one first.

2. Make a token

In devBoard, go to Settings → Developer. Click New token and name it "Claude Desktop".

3. Copy the token

It is shown once. After that you only see its first few characters.

4. Open the Claude Desktop config

In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Developer and click Edit Config. It shows you a file called claude_desktop_config.json. Open it in any text editor.

5. Add the devBoard block

Paste this in. Put your token in place of <your-token>, and keep the word Bearer and the space after it:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "devboard": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-remote", "https://api.getdevboard.app/mcp",
        "--header", "Authorization:${DEVBOARD_AUTH}"],
      "env": { "DEVBOARD_AUTH": "Bearer <your-token>" }
    }
  }
}

If the file already has servers, add devboard next to them inside mcpServers. The token sits in env so the space after Bearer does not break the command.

6. Restart Claude Desktop

Quit it fully, then open it again. On a Mac, press ⌘Q. Closing the window is not enough.

7. Ask something

Open a new chat and type: "What's on my plate today?" Claude asks before it uses a devBoard tool, so allow it. Then it calls my_work and lists your tasks.

Check that it works

If step 7 listed your tasks, you are done. You can also click + in the message box, then Connectors, and look for devboard.

What to try next

Claude Desktop does not see your code, so it suits planning, bugs and time. Ana, a freelancer, uses it on Monday mornings to sort her week.

• "File a bug: the login button does nothing on iPad. Urgent, assign it to me." See file a bug from your assistant.
• "Start APP-42." See start and finish work.
• "How much time did I log this week, per ticket?" It adds up your time tracking entries.

Coding in a terminal? Use the Claude Code guide. All setups are in the guides.

If it does not work

On a Mac, the logs are in ~/Library/Logs/Claude. The file mcp-server-devboard.log says what went wrong.

Keep the token safe

A token acts as you, with your role. It cannot delete items or manage members. The config file is plain text, so do not share it. If it leaks, revoke the token in Settings → Developer. More in the token safety guide and on the MCP page.