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目錄

• ✨ Features
• 🧭 Usage Guide
• 🔬 Research Mode
• 🧠 Task Memory Function
• 📋 Project Rules Initialization
• 🌐 Web GUI
• 📚 Documentation Resources
• 🔧 Installation and Usage
• 🔌 Using with MCP-Compatible Clients
• 💡 System Prompt Guidance
• 🛠️ Available Tools Overview
• 📄 License
• 🤖 Recommended Models

MCP Shrimp Task Manager

🚀 An intelligent task management system based on Model Context Protocol (MCP), providing an efficient programming workflow framework for AI Agents.

Shrimp Task Manager guides Agents through structured workflows for systematic programming, enhancing task memory management mechanisms, and effectively avoiding redundant and repetitive coding work.

✨ Features

• Task Planning and Analysis: Deep understanding and analysis of complex task requirements
• Intelligent Task Decomposition: Automatically break down large tasks into manageable smaller tasks
• Dependency Management: Precisely handle dependencies between tasks, ensuring correct execution order
• Execution Status Tracking: Real-time monitoring of task execution progress and status
• Task Completeness Verification: Ensure task results meet expected requirements
• Task Complexity Assessment: Automatically evaluate task complexity and provide optimal handling suggestions
• Automatic Task Summary Updates: Automatically generate summaries upon task completion, optimizing memory performance
• Task Memory Function: Automatically backup task history, providing long-term memory and reference capabilities
• Research Mode: Systematic technical research capabilities with guided workflows for exploring technologies, best practices, and solution comparisons
• Project Rules Initialization: Define project standards and rules to maintain consistency across large projects
• Web GUI: Provides an optional web-based graphical user interface for task management. Enable by setting ENABLE_GUI=true in your .env file. When enabled, a WebGUI.md file containing the access address will be created in your DATA_DIR. You can customize the web port by setting WEB_PORT (if not specified, an available port will be automatically selected).

🧭 Usage Guide

Shrimp Task Manager offers a structured approach to AI-assisted programming through guided workflows and systematic task management.

What is Shrimp?

Shrimp is essentially a prompt template that guides AI Agents to better understand and work with your project. It uses a series of prompts to ensure the Agent aligns closely with your project's specific needs and conventions.

Research Mode in Practice

Before diving into task planning, you can leverage the research mode for technical investigation and knowledge gathering. This is particularly useful when:

• You need to explore new technologies or frameworks
• You want to compare different solution approaches
• You're investigating best practices for your project
• You need to understand complex technical concepts

Simply tell the Agent "research [your topic]" or "enter research mode for [technology/problem]" to begin systematic investigation. The research findings will then inform your subsequent task planning and development decisions.

First-Time Setup

When working with a new project, simply tell the Agent "init project rules". This will guide the Agent to generate a set of rules tailored to your project's specific requirements and structure.

Task Planning Process

To develop or update features, use the command "plan task [your description]". The system will reference the previously established rules, attempt to understand your project, search for relevant code sections, and propose a comprehensive plan based on the current state of your project.

Feedback Mechanism

During the planning process, Shrimp guides the Agent through multiple steps of thinking. You can review this process and provide feedback if you feel it's heading in the wrong direction. Simply interrupt and share your perspective - the Agent will incorporate your feedback and continue the planning process.

Task Execution

When you're satisfied with the plan, use "execute task [task name or ID]" to implement it. If you don't specify a task name or ID, the system will automatically identify and execute the highest priority task.

Continuous Mode

If you prefer to execute all tasks in sequence without manual intervention for each task, use "continuous mode" to automatically process the entire task queue.

Token Limitation Note

Due to LLM token limits, context may be lost during lengthy conversations. If this occurs, simply open a new chat session and ask the Agent to continue execution. The system will pick up where it left off without requiring you to repeat the task details or context.

Prompt Language and Customization

You can switch the language of system prompts by setting the TEMPLATES_USE environment variable. It supports en (English) and zh (Traditional Chinese) by default. Furthermore, you can copy an existing template directory (e.g., src/prompts/templates_en) to the location specified by DATA_DIR, modify it, and then point TEMPLATES_USE to your custom template directory name. This allows for deeper prompt customization. For detailed instructions.

🔬 Research Mode

Shrimp Task Manager includes a specialized research mode designed for systematic technical investigation and knowledge gathering.

What is Research Mode?

Research Mode is a guided workflow system that helps AI Agents conduct thorough and systematic technical research. It provides structured approaches to exploring technologies, comparing solutions, investigating best practices, and gathering comprehensive information for programming tasks.

Key Features

• Systematic Investigation: Structured workflows ensure comprehensive coverage of research topics
• Multi-Source Research: Combines web search and codebase analysis for complete understanding
• State Management: Maintains research context and progress across multiple sessions
• Guided Exploration: Prevents research from becoming unfocused or going off-topic
• Knowledge Integration: Seamlessly integrates research findings with task planning and execution

When to Use Research Mode

Research Mode is particularly valuable for:

• Technology Exploration: Investigating new frameworks, libraries, or tools
• Best Practices Research: Finding industry standards and recommended approaches
• Solution Comparison: Evaluating different technical approaches or architectures
• Problem Investigation: Deep-diving into complex technical challenges
• Architecture Planning: Researching design patterns and system architectures

How to Use Research Mode

Simply tell the Agent to enter research mode with your topic:

• Basic usage: "Enter research mode for [your topic]"
• Specific research: "Research [specific technology/problem]"
• Comparative analysis: "Research and compare [options A vs B]"

The system will guide the Agent through structured research phases, ensuring thorough investigation while maintaining focus on your specific needs.

Research Workflow

1. Topic Definition: Clearly define the research scope and objectives
2. Information Gathering: Systematic collection of relevant information
3. Analysis and Synthesis: Processing and organizing findings
4. State Updates: Regular progress tracking and context preservation
5. Integration: Applying research results to your project context

💡 Recommendation: For the best research mode experience, we recommend using Claude 4 Sonnet, which provides exceptional analytical capabilities and comprehensive research synthesis.

🧠 Task Memory Function

Shrimp Task Manager has long-term memory capabilities, automatically saving task execution history and providing reference experiences when planning new tasks.

Key Features

• The system automatically backs up tasks to the memory directory
• Backup files are named in chronological order, in the format tasks_backup_YYYY-MM-DDThh-mm-ss.json
• Task planning Agents automatically receive guidance on how to use the memory function

Advantages and Benefits

• Avoid Duplicate Work: Reference past tasks, no need to solve similar problems from scratch
• Learn from Successful Experiences: Utilize proven effective solutions, improve development efficiency
• Learning and Improvement: Identify past mistakes or inefficient solutions, continuously optimize workflows
• Knowledge Accumulation: Form a continuously expanding knowledge base as system usage increases

Through effective use of the task memory function, the system can continuously accumulate experience, with intelligence level and work efficiency continuously improving.

📋 Project Rules Initialization

The Project Rules feature helps maintain consistency across your codebase:

• Standardize Development: Establish consistent coding patterns and practices
• Onboard New Developers: Provide clear guidelines for project contributions
• Maintain Quality: Ensure all code meets established project standards

⚠️ Recommendation: Initialize project rules when your project grows larger or undergoes significant changes. This helps maintain consistency and quality as complexity increases.

Use the init_project_rules tool to set up or update project standards when:

• Starting a new large-scale project
• Onboarding new team members
• Implementing major architectural changes
• Adopting new development conventions

Usage Examples

You can easily access this feature with simple natural language commands:

• For initial setup: Simply tell the Agent "init rules" or "init project rules"
• For updates: When your project evolves, tell the Agent "Update rules" or "Update project rules"

This tool is particularly valuable when your codebase expands or undergoes significant structural changes, helping maintain consistent development practices throughout the project lifecycle.

📚 Documentation Resources

• Prompt Customization Guide: Instructions for customizing tool prompts via environment variables
• Changelog: Record of all notable changes to this project

🔧 Installation and Usage

Installing via Smithery

To install Shrimp Task Manager for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:

npx -y @smithery/cli install @cjo4m06/mcp-shrimp-task-manager --client claude

Manual Installation

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Build and start service
npm run build

🔌 Using with MCP-Compatible Clients

Shrimp Task Manager can be used with any client that supports the Model Context Protocol, such as Cursor IDE.

Configuration in Cursor IDE

Shrimp Task Manager offers two configuration methods: global configuration and project-specific configuration.

ListRoots Protocol Support

Shrimp Task Manager now supports the ListRoots protocol, which enables automatic project isolation and flexible path configuration:

• If your client supports ListRoots (e.g., Cursor IDE):

• Absolute path mode: Create a project folder within the specified DATA_DIR, enabling you to use a global mcp.json configuration while Shrimp automatically isolates projects

• Relative path mode: Create the DATA_DIR within your project root directory for project-specific data storage

• If your client doesn't support ListRoots:

• DATA_DIR maintains the legacy behavior (absolute paths recommended)
• We recommend asking your client vendor to support the ListRoots protocol for enhanced functionality

Global Configuration

1. Open the Cursor IDE global configuration file (usually located at ~/.cursor/mcp.json)
2. Add the following configuration in the mcpServers section:

Option A: Absolute Path (Project Isolation Mode)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "shrimp-task-manager": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/mcp-shrimp-task-manager/dist/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "DATA_DIR": "/Users/username/ShrimpData", // Absolute path - creates project folders automatically
        "TEMPLATES_USE": "en",
        "ENABLE_GUI": "false"
      }
    }
  }
}

Option B: NPX with Absolute Path

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "shrimp-task-manager": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-shrimp-task-manager"],
      "env": {
        "DATA_DIR": "/Users/username/ShrimpData", // Absolute path - creates project folders automatically
        "TEMPLATES_USE": "en",
        "ENABLE_GUI": "false"
      }
    }
  }
}

⚠️ Please replace /path/to/mcp-shrimp-task-manager and /Users/username/ShrimpData with your actual paths.

💡 Absolute Path Advantage: With ListRoots support, Shrimp automatically creates separate folders for each project (e.g., /Users/username/ShrimpData/my-project/, /Users/username/ShrimpData/another-project/), enabling perfe