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milk-mcp: Give Claude Code a Memory with Remember The Milk

donkitchen (Pro) says:

Hey RTM community! I've been a longtime user, and I just open-sourced something I'm genuinely excited about: milk-mcp — a TypeScript MCP server that uses RTM as persistent memory and task management for Claude Code sessions.
👉 https://github.com/donkitchen/milk-mcp

## The problem it solves ##

Claude Code sessions are ephemeral. Close a session, and all that context — what you were building, what decisions you made, what bugs you spotted — is gone. You end up re-explaining your project every single time. milk-mcp fixes this by anchoring Claude's memory to your RTM account.

## How it works ##

For each project, milk-mcp automatically creates 5 dedicated RTM lists:
✅ TODO — active tasks for the current session
📋 Backlog — deferred and future work
🐛 Bugs — logged with reproduction steps
🏛️ Decisions — architectural choices recorded with rationale
🔁 Context — session handoff notes so Claude picks up right where you left off

Starting a session is as simple as "Let's work on MyProject" — Claude calls rtm_session_start, loads your open TODOs and latest context, and you're off. At the end, "Let's wrap up" triggers rtm_session_end and saves everything for next time.

## Why RTM? ##

Honestly? Because it's the best task manager ever made and I've used it for years 😄 But also because the API is clean, the free tier works great, and now my RTM account does double duty as both my personal task list and my AI's external brain.
Setup takes about 5 minutes — Node.js 18+, your RTM API credentials, one auth script, and one claude mcp add command.

Would love stars, feedback, and contributors. Let's keep building the RTM + AI future! 🥛✨

Reply to RTM MCP - I can talk to RTM in plain English

donkitchen (Pro) says:

This is awesome — love seeing RTM get some AI love! Big props for publishing the first open-source RTM MCP and sharing your daily planning + evening reflection workflow. That pattern detection ("you've been postponing this for 3 days") is exactly the kind of thing that makes AI assistants actually useful rather than just cool demos.

Your post actually inspired me to build my own take: milk-mcp (https://github.com/donkitchen/milk-mcp). Same DNA — TypeScript, RTM, Claude Code — but I took it in a different direction. Where your setup shines for personal productivity and conversational task management, I focused specifically on the developer workflow problem: Claude Code sessions are ephemeral, and losing context between sessions is brutal. milk-mcp turns RTM into a persistent memory layer so Claude picks up exactly where it left off.

It creates 5 structured lists per project (TODOs, Backlog, Bugs, Decisions, and a Context/handoff list) and has dedicated tools for session_start and session_end so the handoff is explicit and reliable. The Decisions list is my personal favorite — architectural choices get logged with rationale, so Claude never asks "why did we do it this way?" again.

Two different tools solving related problems — would love to see the community build on both! 🚀

Reply to RTM MCP - I can talk to RTM in plain English

raymond.bergmark (Pro) says:

Wow, great implementation!
Well worth a Tuesday winner!

RTM MCP - I can talk to RTM in plain English

ljadach (Pro) says:

Hi,

I have built an MCP server for RTM (available as open source to all: https://github.com/ljadach/rtm-mcp) and integrated it with my personal AI assistant on Claude Code. Now together with the Assistant we do the daily planning and day closing and it has full access to my ToDo list from RTM, so I can, in conversational style, discuss my priorities ("what are the top tasks for today"), ask it to make adjustments ("change the due date of all tasks that ....) and create the task automatically resulting from my discussion with AI assistant or from meeting notes processed by AI.

In the evenings, thanks to the MCP integration the Assistant can identify patterns ("you have been postponing this task for 3 days now"), praise me ("you have completed x tasks and I am proud of you for completing x"). It can also maintain the activity log and check if I am progressing against my long term goals and objectives.

I think this is only the beginning. The possibilities of integrating AI with RTM are endless!

Be productive everywhere: A simple hack for grouping tasks by "Location"

splahitk (Pro) says:

Like most users of RTM, I am a bit obsessed with getting things done in the most efficient way possible. Few things are more frustrating to me than realizing I forgot to stop by the grocery store while I was already running errands; or not realizing I could complete a few tasks on my phone while stuck waiting in line; or forgetting to tackle something at home before heading out for the day.

I struggled at first with how to solve this problem. I tried a few solutions that involved a lot of complex tagging (e.g. anything tagged with "chore" or "clean" or "pet" or "yard" would show on my "Home" smart list, and anything tagged with "errand" or "buy" would show on my "Errands" smart list, etc.). Inevitably, tasks slipped through the cracks because I would forget to apply a required tag.

I considered the Location feature, but it required a specific address. While that worked for tasks to be completed at Home, it did not work for Errands or Online tasks. I was forced to specify a single address for each Errand (tedious and not all that valuable to me), and it would not allow me to specify "The Internet" as a location... or would it?

That was my "Aha!" moment. I already knew what general locations I wanted to use for my tasks, and I could simply enter my Home address for each--who would care? Instead of trying to remember any number of valid tags, I could simply enter a single Location for every task:

🏠 I have to be Home to do this task.
🚙 I have to be away from Home to do this task.
📱 I can do this task from anywhere as long as I have internet.
🕳️ It doesn't really matter where I do this task; used rarely, these are more reminders than true tasks (like: "Think about cool new ways to use RTM").

I have a smart list for each Location, and it's organized by due date and priority. Before taking my daughter to practice, I check the "Home" list to see what I can accomplish before it's time to leave. While I wait for my daughter at practice, I complete "Online" tasks on my phone/laptop. Before I drive home from practice, I check the "Errands" list to see if I need to stop anywhere on the way.

I even have a smart list that tells me if I have missed setting the Location field on any tasks--so nothing slips through the cracks!

Reply to android app: clicking on URL opens it in some kind of "sub" browser

scottf51 says:

You have put this in the "tips and tricks" section, you are more likely to get a response in the "help" section. Not being an android user I am afraid I cannot help, but others may be able to

android app: clicking on URL opens it in some kind of "sub" browser

sdfoakes says:

Please can anyone help me figure out why this is happening? In the android app, when I tap on the URL assigned to a task (blue writing), the app opens the URL inside a copy of my usual browser (Lemur) as opposed to letting the phone's usual handler handle it (and opening in the main browser). Any suggestions?

Reply to Using Evernote + RTM for Powerful Checklist Management

emily (Remember The Milk) says:

Hi Gustavo, this is an excellent tip! You're this week's Tips & Tricks Tuesday winner, so we've added a free year of Pro to your Remember The Milk account. :)

Reply to Daily Task Refresh

janvanderploeg (Pro) says:

Nice script!

Reply to Daily Task Refresh

irminger.elise (Pro) says:

I have been on the computer for hours today looking for exactly this type of thing! Please tell me where I can learn this magic. I will, of course, be studying this code to try to see if I can bend it to my will.

Daily Task Refresh

shalgrim (Pro) says:

I don't complete all my tasks that are due every day. (I know that's a bad practice that may trigger you, but let's leave it aside for now.) As a result, I spend the first part of my day updating my list, which mostly involves postponing tasks. That's a lot of selecting and postponing.

To make it a bit more complex, I also don't want to postpone every task. Some tasks are daily reminders that, if I didn't get to them that day, don't really need to be pushed into the next day. For example, "meditate," or "practice gratitude" don't make sense to double up on.

So I've made a MilkScript that cleans up my list for me. Any task in my Now list due before today that is incomplete gets postponed, unless it has the tag "zskip," in which case it gets completed. Finally, if I have a high priority task from yesterday that didn't get completed, I don't want to automate the postponing or completion of that task...I want human input on something like that, so I just leave those alone so they're visible.

Finally, I've also set up a Zap on Zapier so every day at 6 AM my MilkScript gets run automatically

Here's my Script:

const nowList = rtm.getSmartLists().find(smartList => smartList.getName() === 'Now');
const incompleteNowTasksDueToday = nowList.getTasks('status:incomplete AND dueBefore:today')
console.info(`Your "Now" list has ${incompleteNowTasksDueToday.length} items in it due before today`);
const tagsByTaskIdMap = new Map(
incompleteNowTasksDueToday.map(task => {
const id = task.getId();
const tagNames = task.getTags().map(tag => tag.getName());
return [id, tagNames];
})
);
incompleteNowTasksDueToday.forEach(task => {
const name = task.getName();
const priority = task.getPriority();
const tagNames = tagsByTaskIdMap.get(task.getId()) || [];
if (priority.toString() === rtm.Priority.High.toString()) {
// I don't want to postpone or complete High priority tasks; requires human evaluation
console.info(`skipping high priority task ${name}`);
} else if (tagNames.includes('zskip')) {
console.info(`Completing zskip task ${name}`);
task.complete();
} else {
console.info(`Postponing ${name}`);
task.postpone();
}
});

Reply to Bangbang, he shot me down

agt.paper says:

This post needs a like button.

Bangbang, he shot me down

sagansjagger (Pro) says:

I have a tag, bangbang, on any task that I can:
1. handle by myself,
2. with materials that I already have or can acquire quickly, and
3. in about 15-20 minutes.

I also label each task name with a location, such as "Living Room," (@home, in my living room) "General," (for tasks that don't have a specific location) "Out," (for errands) or "Online" (for anything that can be done on a @computer, @phone, or @online [comptuer or phone]).

When combined with locations, name labels, and/or lists in the smart search, I can pull up and then print targeted task lists based on location.

The intent is to tackle the house or errands by "banging" out several tasks in an hour or so of focused work. Bangbang!

For example:
- tag: bangbang AND list: "Cleaning & Yard Work" = all cleaning and yard work tasks that I can bang out quickly
- tag: bangbang AND (name: "Living Room" OR name: "Kitchen" OR "Dining Room") = bang tasks located on the middle floor of my house
- tag: bangbang AND location: computer = bang tasks that require a laptop - no more doom scrolling, wondering what I need to do!

Hope this helps!
- Cass

Tip!

keithhen (Pro) says:

This is a simple tip but anyone can use it. One of the best ways I’ve kept my workday calm is by relying on start dates and a single Smart List that acts like a runway. My role involves juggling projects that don’t all start at the same time, and before I began using start dates in Remember The Milk, I constantly had a “too big” Today list. Now, I give every task a realistic start date so it stays hidden until I can actually begin it. To pull it all together, I built a Smart List I call “Runway” that shows me anything starting soon or due in the next 48 hours:

(startBefore:tomorrow OR dueWithin:"2 days of today")

This view keeps me focused on what’s actionable without overwhelming me with everything I’ll eventually need to do. It’s also flexible. I can quickly scan what’s coming up, spot dependencies, and adjust before things get urgent. With this one Smart List and the discipline of using start dates, I’ve found my workload much easier to manage and my stress level way lower.

Using Evernote + RTM for Powerful Checklist Management

gustavo.marins (Pro) says:

I use Remember The Milk together with Evernote to manage various types of checklists — from movies to watch, gift ideas, wishlists, and books to read. Here's how I make the most of this integration:

1. First things first – In RTM, click on “Integrations” at the bottom right corner of the screen. Then search for the Evernote integration and connect your account.

2. Create each checklist as a separate note in Evernote – I use Evernote's checkbox feature to build structured lists. Each note represents a different checklist, such as:

- 🎬 Movies to Watch
- 🎁 Gift Ideas
- 📚 Books to Read
- 💭 Wishlist
- 💡 Creative Ideas

3. Link the note to a task in RTM automatically – I use Evernote’s reminder feature, which is the small bell icon located at the bottom of the note. When I click the bell and set a reminder — no need to choose a specific date or time — a task is automatically created in RTM with the same title. In RTM, this task will show a small elephant icon in the “Linked with” field, indicating it's connected to the Evernote note. This makes it easy to jump back to the full checklist when needed.

4. Organize checklist tasks in a dedicated project – I place all these tasks in a project called "🗂️ Checklists". The emoji helps visually distinguish it from other lists. I also mark this project as a favorite in RTM so it stays easily accessible and stands out in my sidebar.

5. Versatile and free! – This setup can be used for countless purposes! And best of all, you don’t need to be a Pro user — it showcases the versatility of RTM’s free version.

Reply to Use priorities to plan your time within a single list

emily (Remember The Milk) says:

Hi jansona, this is a great tip and a fantastic way to use priorities. We've shared your tip on our blog as this week's Tips & Tricks Tuesday winner. We've added a free year of Pro to your account. :)

Reply to Tip: Tracking gifts with RTM

emily (Remember The Milk) says:

Adam, this is a great tip! I need to do this for myself, too :)

You're our Tips & Tricks Tuesday winner this week, so we've featured your tip on the blog and added a free year of Pro to your Remember The Milk account.

Reply to Grocery list, sort completed list by name?

andrewski (Remember The Milk) says:

Hi Bill,
Currently completed tasks are only sorted by completed date, and it's not possible to sort those in another way, sorry.

I appreciate the feedback for how you'd want to use this with a grocery list, and will pass this along to the development team. 💙

Grocery list, sort completed list by name?

getfacsw says:

So I have a grocery list that has about 200 items. I have it broken down to areas and aisles, so for example:
Dairy - Milk (area)
Dairy - Eggs
Produce - Lettuce (area)
13 - Cheerios (aisle)

It sorts correctly when it's incomplete but when it's marked complete, the items on the list are by date. Is there a way to sort them by name? is that in the pro version or not available at all?

Bill

Reply to Start Date - identify stale tasks

ranbarton (Pro) says:

This is a good tip and a great selection for tip of the week.