Tana MCP server

The Tana MCP Server provides a bridge between Model Context Protocol (MCP) clients and Tana's Input API, allowing Large Language Models and MCP clients to create and manipulate data in Tana workspaces. It offers tools for node creation, field management, complex structures, schema operations, and node updates.

Features

🛠️ Tools

• Node Creation: Create plain, reference, date, URL, checkbox, and file nodes
• Field Management: Create and manage field nodes with structured data
• Complex Structures: Build nested node hierarchies
• Schema Operations: Create supertags and field definitions
• Node Updates: Modify existing node names

💬 Prompts

• Task Creation: Structured task creation with due dates and priorities
• Project Setup: Complete project structures with goals and milestones
• Meeting Notes: Formatted meeting notes with attendees and action items
• Knowledge Base: Organized knowledge entries with categories and sources

📚 Resources

• API Documentation: Complete reference for Tana Input API
• Node Types Guide: Detailed examples of all supported node types
• Usage Examples: Common patterns and best practices
• Server Info: Current status and configuration details

Requirements

• Node.js 18 or higher
• A Tana workspace with API access enabled
• Tana API token (generated from Tana settings)

Installation

Global Installation (Recommended)

npm install -g tana-mcp

Local Installation

npm install tana-mcp

Configuration

Claude Desktop

Add this to your Claude Desktop configuration file:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tana-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "tana-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "TANA_API_TOKEN": "your-api-token-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Raycast

1. Install the MCP extension in Raycast
2. Open "Manage MCP Servers" command
3. Add a new server with this configuration:

{
  "tana-mcp": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["-y", "tana-mcp"],
    "env": {
      "TANA_API_TOKEN": "your-api-token-here"
    }
  }
}

Other MCP Clients

For other MCP-compatible clients, use:

• Command: npx -y tana-mcp (or tana-mcp if installed globally)
• Environment: TANA_API_TOKEN=your-api-token-here

Getting Your Tana API Token

1. Open Tana in your browser
2. Go to Settings → API tokens
3. Create a new token with appropriate permissions
4. Copy the token and add it to your MCP client configuration

Usage Examples

Once configured, you can interact with Tana through your MCP client:

Creating a Simple Node

Create a new node titled "Project Ideas" in my Tana workspace

Creating a Task

Create a task "Review Q4 budget" with high priority due next Friday

Creating a Project Structure

Create a project called "Website Redesign" with milestones for design, development, and launch

Using Prompts

MCP clients that support prompts can use templates like:

• create-task - Interactive task creation
• create-project - Structured project setup
• create-meeting-notes - Meeting documentation
• create-knowledge-entry - Knowledge base entries

API Limitations

• Maximum 100 nodes per request
• Rate limit: 1 request per second per token
• Payload size: 5000 characters maximum
• Workspace limit: 750,000 nodes

Troubleshooting

"Missing expected parameter key: items" (Raycast)

This error was fixed in v1.2.0. Please update to the latest version.

Connection Issues

• Verify your API token is correct
• Check that your workspace hasn't exceeded the 750k node limit
• Ensure you're not exceeding the rate limit (1 request/second)

Node Creation Failures

• Verify the target node ID exists (if specified)
• Check that supertag/field IDs are valid for your workspace
• Ensure payload is under 5000 characters

How to add this MCP server to Cursor

There are two ways to add an MCP server to Cursor. The most common way is to add the server globally in the ~/.cursor/mcp.json file so that it is available in all of your projects.

If you only need the server in a single project, you can add it to the project instead by creating or adding it to the .cursor/mcp.json file.

Adding an MCP server to Cursor globally

To add a global MCP server go to Cursor Settings > MCP and click "Add new global MCP server".

When you click that button the ~/.cursor/mcp.json file will be opened and you can add your server like this:

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "cursor-rules-mcp": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "cursor-rules-mcp"
            ]
        }
    }
}

Adding an MCP server to a project

To add an MCP server to a project you can create a new .cursor/mcp.json file or add it to the existing one. This will look exactly the same as the global MCP server example above.

How to use the MCP server

Once the server is installed, you might need to head back to Settings > MCP and click the refresh button.

The Cursor agent will then be able to see the available tools the added MCP server has available and will call them when it needs to.

You can also explictly ask the agent to use the tool by mentioning the tool name and describing what the function does.