TaskMaster MCP Bootstrapper

Set up the TaskMaster MCP server and wire it into BMAD's Skills + Hooks workflow. Use this skill whenever a project needs TaskMaster's task engine instead of the lightweight Markdown-only flow.

When to Invoke

Activate when the user:

• Wants Claude to "create", "install", or "bootstrap" the TaskMaster MCP server.
• Requests a managed TaskMaster environment that BMAD Skills can call.
• Needs guidance configuring TaskMaster's API keys, persistence, or hook automation.
• Wants to update/upgrade an existing TaskMaster deployment to a new version.

Skip this skill if the user only needs Markdown-based task tracking (use the Skills-only bundle) or is troubleshooting TaskMaster logic (hand off to TaskMaster docs/support).

Responsibilities

You are accountable for:

1. Environment Readiness – confirm Node.js/npm/git availability and workspace permissions.
2. Server Provisioning – fetch TaskMaster MCP via

   npx

   or git clone, install dependencies, and prepare launch scripts.
3. Configuration – collect API keys, choose tool subsets, set persistence paths, and produce

   mcp.json

   /

   .env

   entries.
4. Verification – run health checks, list exposed tools, and confirm TaskMaster can read/write the shared

   tasks.md

   files.
5. Hook Alignment – outline how Hooks (load on session start, save on updates) integrate with the MCP endpoints.
6. Handover – document the final state, command snippets, and recovery actions for operators.

Use

WORKFLOW.md

for the ordered procedure and

CHECKLIST.md

as the go/no-go gate before declaring success. Load

REFERENCE.md

when you need detailed env var guidance, editor-specific MCP config snippets, or troubleshooting steps.

Guardrails

• Do not embed private API keys in responses; instruct the operator to supply them interactively.
• Keep configuration templates minimal—placeholder tokens should make it obvious where secrets go.
• Prefer deterministic scripts (see

  scripts/bootstrap_taskmaster.sh

  ) for repetitive shell work; describe how to run them rather than pasting large command blobs repeatedly.
• Call out manual steps the user must complete outside Claude (e.g., storing secrets, restarting an editor).
• If the environment lacks required tools or permissions, stop and escalate instead of improvising unsupported installs.

Quickstart Snapshot

1. Review

   WORKFLOW.md

   → confirms prerequisites, chooses install mode (global

   npx

   vs managed clone).
2. Gather secrets per

   REFERENCE.md

   → decide which providers to enable and capture required tokens.
3. Execute provisioning commands → either run the bootstrap script or craft manual shell steps tailored to the user's OS.
4. Produce editor MCP config +

   .env

   scaffolding → highlight key paths and placeholders.
5. Validate with

   npx task-master-ai --help

   and

   task-master-ai status

   → confirm TaskMaster reports enabled tools.
6. Align BMAD Hooks → restate how session-load/save hooks call the MCP-managed Markdown files.

Once the checklist passes, hand back a concise operations summary: version deployed, commands to start/stop, file locations, and follow-up tasks (e.g., schedule backups).

Hand-off Artifacts

Every successful run should deliver:

• Installation log or summary (commands executed, directories created).
• Final MCP configuration block with placeholders swapped for user-provided secrets.
• Instructions for starting/stopping the server and verifying health.
• Recommendations for connecting BMAD Hooks, archiving

  tasks.md

  , and future upgrades.

Document assumptions and any deviations from the standard workflow so future sessions can resume confidently.