# Pad > Project Management for the agent era - **Type:** MCP server - **Install:** `agentstack add mcp-perpetualsoftware-pad` - **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior - **Seller:** [PerpetualSoftware](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/perpetualsoftware) - **Installs:** 0 - **Category:** [Databases](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/databases) - **Latest version:** 0.1.0 - **License:** Apache-2.0 - **Upstream author:** [PerpetualSoftware](https://github.com/PerpetualSoftware) - **Source:** https://github.com/PerpetualSoftware/pad - **Website:** https://getpad.dev ## Install ```sh agentstack add mcp-perpetualsoftware-pad ``` Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent. ## About Pad Project Management for the agent era. Website  ·  Docs  ·  Blog  ·  Changelog  ·  X  ·  Bluesky --- > One binary. Local-first. No accounts required. Pad gives you a CLI, a web UI, and an AI agent skill — all backed by SQLite, all running on your machine. Your project data never leaves your laptop. ## Quick Start ```bash brew install PerpetualSoftware/tap/pad cd your-project pad init # configure, auth, workspace, AI skill — all in one pad server open # opens the web UI at localhost:7777 ``` `pad init` is the smart entry point — it auto-detects what's needed, walks you through each step, and is safe to re-run anytime (it skips finished steps and prints a status summary). Then, in a fresh agent session in your project, say: ``` /pad onboard ``` Your new workspace ships with the canonical `onboard` playbook auto-activated. The agent walks an interview, inspects your codebase if it has shell access, and adapts your workspace's collections, conventions, roles, and playbooks to match the project. It's the fastest way to go from empty workspace to "okay, this is mine." ## Why Pad? Tools like Linear, Jira, and Notion are built for teams on the cloud. Pad is built for **developers on their machine** — and for the AI agents working alongside them. | | Pad | Linear / Jira | Notion | |---|---|---|---| | **Setup** | `pad init` | Create account, invite team, configure | Create account, pick template | | **AI agents** | Native `/pad` skill for 7+ tools | Third-party integrations | Third-party integrations | | **Data** | Local SQLite, you own it | Their cloud | Their cloud | | **Offline** | Full functionality | Read-only cache at best | Limited | | **CLI** | First-class | Afterthought | None | | **Price** | Free, open source | Per-seat pricing | Per-seat pricing | ## Features ### For Developers **CLI that doesn't get in your way.** Create tasks, search items, check status — without leaving the terminal. ```bash pad item create task "Fix OAuth redirect" --priority high pad item create idea "Real-time collaboration" --category infrastructure pad item list tasks --status in-progress pad item search "authentication" pad project dashboard # Project dashboard pad project next # What should I work on? pad server info # How this client is connected to Pad ``` **Web UI that stays out of your way.** A clean, dark-themed interface at `localhost:7777` with: - **Board, list, and table views** — drag-and-drop between status columns - **Keyboard navigation** — `j`/`k` to move, `Enter` to open, `Esc` to go back, `Cmd+K` to search - **Rich text editor** — Tiptap-based with markdown, formatting toolbar, and auto-save - **Wiki-links** — type `[[Title]]` to link between items - **Real-time updates** — agent creates a task in the terminal, it appears in the browser instantly (via SSE) - **Dashboard** — collection overview, active work, plan tracking, activity feed ### For AI Agents **Your agent becomes a project partner.** Install the `/pad` skill once, and your AI coding tool can read, create, and update project items through natural language. ```bash pad agent install # Auto-detects your tools and installs the skill ``` Works with **Claude Code**, **Cursor**, **Windsurf**, **Codex**, **GitHub Copilot**, **Amazon Q**, and **JetBrains Junie**. Then just talk to your project: ``` > /pad what should I work on next? > /pad I finished the OAuth fix > /pad create a task to add rate limiting > /pad let's brainstorm about the API redesign ``` **Conventions and playbooks** teach agents how your project works: - **Conventions** — trigger-based rules like "run tests before marking a task done" or "use conventional commits" - **Playbooks** — multi-step workflows like "when implementing a feature: read the spec, create a branch, write tests first, then implement". Playbooks can declare a kebab-case `invocation_slug` so users can invoke them directly: `/pad ship PLAN-42`, `/pad release 0.5.0`. Fresh `startup` workspaces ship a generic `ship` playbook out of the box. ```bash pad item create convention "Run tests before completing tasks" \ --field trigger=on-task-complete \ --field scope=all \ --field priority=must ``` Agents load relevant conventions automatically. All agent actions are attributed in the activity feed, so you always know what the AI changed. **Onboard agents to a new codebase:** Open an agent session in the workspace directory and run `/pad onboard`. The agent walks an interview, detects your build/test/CI tooling, and adapts your workspace's collections, conventions, roles, and playbooks to match the project. Works for any agent that speaks Pad — Claude Code, MCP-only agents, etc. ### Collections & Custom Fields Pad organizes work into **collections** — typed containers with structured fields. **Built-in collections:** | Collection | Purpose | |---|---| | **Tasks** | Work items with status, priority, assignee, effort, due date | | **Ideas** | Feature ideas with impact and category | | **Plans** | Project milestones with progress tracking | | **Docs** | Documentation, decisions, reference material | | **Conventions** | Project rules that guide agent behavior | | **Playbooks** | Multi-step workflows for agents to follow | **Create your own** with typed fields — select, text, date, number, url, relation, checkbox: ```bash pad collection create "Bug Reports" \ --fields "severity:select:low,medium,high,critical; browser:text; reproducible:checkbox" ``` Items get reference numbers automatically (`TASK-5`, `BUG-12`) and can be moved between collections with field migration. ## Installation ### Homebrew (macOS and Linux) ```bash brew install PerpetualSoftware/tap/pad ``` ### Build from Source ```bash git clone https://github.com/PerpetualSoftware/pad cd pad make build cp pad ~/.local/bin/ # or /usr/local/bin/ ``` Requires Go 1.26+ and Node.js 22+. The `go install github.com/PerpetualSoftware/pad/cmd/pad@latest` path is not supported for the full Pad binary, because the web UI must be built and embedded during the source build. ### Docker ```bash docker run -p 127.0.0.1:7777:7777 -v pad-data:/data ghcr.io/perpetualsoftware/pad ``` This publishes Pad to `localhost:7777` on the host machine, which is the recommended default for local use. **Single user, more than one device?** Publish to all interfaces so you can reach Pad from your phone, tablet, or another machine on the same LAN, Tailscale network, or home VPN: ```bash docker run -p 7777:7777 -v pad-data:/data ghcr.io/perpetualsoftware/pad ``` For multi-instance deployments, Pad supports Postgres + Redis via `docker-compose.yml` — see [docs/deployment.md](docs/deployment.md) for the full setup. ### Binary Download Pre-built binaries for macOS, Linux, and Windows are available on the [releases page](https://github.com/PerpetualSoftware/pad/releases). ## Getting Started ### 1. Set up Pad ```bash cd ~/projects/myapp pad init "My App" ``` `pad init` is the smart entry point that handles everything in one command: - Configures this client's connection (local server, remote, or Docker) - Auto-starts the local server - Creates the first admin account on a fresh local install (Docker / remote hosts run `pad auth setup` on the server instead) - Logs you in if needed - Creates or links a workspace for the current directory (writes `.pad.toml`) - Installs the `/pad` skill for any AI tools detected in the project Run from your project root. Safe to re-run anytime — it skips finished steps and prints a status summary if nothing's needed. **Choose a template** with `--template`, or omit it for an interactive picker grouped by category (Software / People / …): ```bash pad workspace init --list-templates # See the full catalog grouped by category pad init "My App" --template scrum # Scrum-style with sprints pad init "My App" --template product # Product management focused pad init "My Hiring" --template hiring # Company-side: requisitions, candidates, interview loops, feedback pad init "Job Search" --template interviewing # Candidate-side: applications, interviews, companies, contacts ``` Pad ships templates for software (startup / scrum / product), people workflows (hiring, interviewing), and has reserved categories for research, content, operations, and personal use so the same project-management primitives fit well beyond code projects. ### 2. Start working ```bash # From the CLI pad item create task "Set up CI pipeline" --priority high pad item create idea "Add WebSocket support" --category infrastructure pad project dashboard # From the web UI pad server open # Opens localhost:7777 in your browser # From your AI agent # Just use /pad in Claude Code, Cursor, etc. ``` ### 3. Teach your agents the rules In an agent session inside the workspace: ``` /pad onboard ``` The agent walks an interview, detects your tooling, and adapts the workspace's collections, conventions, roles, and playbooks. To browse the library directly: ```bash pad library list --type conventions # Pre-built conventions you can adopt pad library list --type playbooks # Pre-built multi-step workflows ``` ### 4. Optional — connect a desktop AI app via MCP Pad ships an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server so Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf can manage items, plans, ideas, and dependencies as native tools, read workspace state by URL, and load multi-step workflows as prompts. ```bash pad mcp install claude-desktop # or: cursor, windsurf, --all # Restart the client; pad shows up as the "pad" MCP server. ``` **Tool catalog (v0.4)** — eight resource × action tools plus `pad_set_workspace` (nine total), no flat verb explosion: | Tool | Actions | |---|---| | `pad_item` | `create`, `update`, `delete`, `get`, `list`, `move`, `link`, `unlink`, `deps`, `star`, `unstar`, `starred`, `comment`, `list-comments`, `bulk-update`, `note`, `decide` | | `pad_workspace` | `list`, `members`, `invite`, `storage`, `audit-log` | | `pad_collection` | `list`, `create`, `update`, `delete` | | `pad_project` | `dashboard`, `next`, `standup`, `changelog` | | `pad_role` | `list`, `create`, `update`, `delete` | | `pad_search` | `query` | | `pad_playbook` | `list`, `get`, `run` | | `pad_meta` | `server-info`, `version`, `tool-surface`, `bootstrap` | | `pad_set_workspace` | session-default workspace pinning (response embeds the bootstrap blob) | Plus resources at `pad://workspaces`, `pad://workspace/{ws}/dashboard`, `pad://workspace/{ws}/items`, `pad://workspace/{ws}/items/{ref}`, `pad://workspace/{ws}/collections`, `pad://workspace/{ws}/bootstrap`, and `pad://_meta/version`. **Stability contract** — two version constants, both advertised in the initialize handshake under `capabilities.experimental.padCmdhelp` and `capabilities.experimental.padToolSurface` (and queryable at `pad://_meta/version`): - `cmdhelp_version: "0.1"` — CLI help-tree contract (used at dispatch time) - `tool_surface_version: "0.4"` — MCP tool catalog contract (PLAN-1410 trimmed the bootstrap-response shape by ~40%; see `internal/mcp/version.go` for the full v0.4 changelog) External agents pin against these so a future rename doesn't break them silently. Errors come back as structured envelopes (`{error: {code, message, hint, available_workspaces, ...}}`) with a closed eight-code taxonomy. Full guide at [getpad.dev/mcp/local](https://getpad.dev/mcp/local) — install paths, action enums per tool, error taxonomy, troubleshooting. ## CLI Reference ``` pad auth configure Configure how this client connects to Pad pad auth setup Initialize the first admin account pad auth login Sign in pad auth whoami Show current user pad server start Start the Pad API server pad server stop Stop the Pad server pad server info Show client, connection, and local server status pad server open Open web UI in browser pad workspace init [name] Initialize workspace in current directory pad workspace link Link current directory to an existing workspace pad workspace list List all workspaces pad workspace switch Switch active workspace pad workspace context Show structured workspace context pad workspace context set --file X Update structured workspace context from JSON # Workspace onboarding: run `/pad onboard` from an agent session inside the workspace pad workspace members List workspace members pad workspace invite Invite a workspace member pad workspace join Accept an invitation pad workspace export Export workspace data pad workspace import Import workspace data pad project dashboard Project dashboard pad project next Recommended next task pad project ready Query actionable next items pad project stale Query stalled or attention-worthy items pad project standup [--days N] Daily standup report pad project changelog [--days N] Release notes from completed items pad project watch Real-time activity stream pad project reconcile Reconcile item and PR state pad item create "title" Create item (task, idea, plan, doc, ...) pad item list [collection] List items (filters: --status, --priority, --all) pad item show Show item detail pad item update Update item fields pad item delete Delete item pad item move Move item between collections pad item edit Open item in $EDITOR pad item search "query" Full-text search across all items pad item comment "text" Add comment to an item pad item comments View item comments pad item note "summary" Append an implementation note to an item pad item decide "decision" Append a decision log entry to an item pad item block Create dependency pad item blocked-by Mark item as blocked pad item deps Show dependencies pad item unblock Remove dependency pad item related Show direct relationships for an item pad item implemented-by Show incoming implementers for an item pad item bulk-update --status X Batch update multiple items pad collection list List collections with item counts pad collection create Create a custom collection pad library list Browse convention and playbook library pad library activate Activate a convention or playbook pad agent install [tool] Install /pad skill for AI coding tools pad agent status Show supported tools and installation status pad agent update Update installed tool integrations pad github link [item-ref] Link current branch's PR to item pad github status [item-ref] Show PR status for linked items pad github unlink Remove PR link from item pad webhook list List workspace webhooks pad webhook create Create webhook ``` All commands accept `--format json` for machine-readable output and `--workspace` to target a specific workspace. ### Authentication Pad runs without authentication by default for frictionless local use. For local installs, `pad init` creates the first admin account inline. The lower-level commands are useful when you're hosting a Pad server (Docker / remote) and need to set up auth on the server host directly: `` … ## Source & license This open-source MCP server is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code. - **Author:** [PerpetualSoftware](https://github.com/PerpetualSoftware) - **Source:** [PerpetualSoftware/pad](https://github.com/PerpetualSoftware/pad) - **License:** Apache-2.0 - **Homepage:** https://getpad.dev Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above. ## Pricing - **Free** — Free ## Security capabilities Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access: - **Network access:** yes - **Filesystem access:** no - **Shell / process execution:** no - **Environment & secrets:** no - **Dynamic code execution:** no *"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.* ## Versions - **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source. ## Links - Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/mcp-perpetualsoftware-pad - Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/perpetualsoftware - Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse --- Listed on AgentStack — the marketplace for AI agent skills and MCP servers. Every listing is security-reviewed. Creators keep 70%.