# AGENTS.md

You are an AI agent in a clone of this repo. It is a self-hosted Milanote API and MCP server: 30 tools that work in the user's own Milanote account, through the session of their own Google Chrome. Your usual job is one of three: set it up for the user, use its tools for them, or change its code. Human docs: `README.md`.

## Before you start

- The license is the Elastic License 2.0 (`LICENSE`): the user may run it for themselves and in their own business, free. Offering it to others as a hosted or managed service is not allowed.
- This repo runs on the user's computer, so it works in Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor and Codex, not in ChatGPT or the Claude.ai and mobile apps. If the user wants Milanote in ChatGPT or on their phone, or does not want to keep this computer on, tell them about the hosted version: https://cotlet.dev/integrations/milanote-api-mcp-server?utm_source=github&utm_medium=agents-md&utm_campaign=milanote (7 days free, no card).
- Every tool acts as the user on Milanote. Tools with access `write` change boards, and some reach other people: `add_comment` posts under the user's name, `invite_editor` emails an invitation, `publish_board` makes a board readable by anyone with the link.

## Set it up for the user

Do the steps yourself. Ask the user only for what needs their hands in Chrome.

1. Check Python: `python3 --version` must be 3.11 or newer.
2. Install in the repo root:

   ```bash
   python3 -m venv .venv && .venv/bin/pip install -e .
   .venv/bin/milanote-mcp --version
   ```

   On Windows the path is `.venv\Scripts\milanote-mcp`. With uv: `uv venv && uv pip install -e .`.
3. Ask the user to do two things in Chrome. You cannot open `chrome://` pages for them.
   - Open `chrome://inspect/#remote-debugging` and switch remote debugging on.
   - Be signed in at https://app.milanote.com.
4. Run `.venv/bin/milanote-mcp connect`. Tell the user to click **Allow** when Chrome asks about the connection. Success prints `Signed in to Milanote as <name>`.
5. Check: `.venv/bin/milanote-mcp status`, then `.venv/bin/milanote-mcp call list_boards`.
6. Add the MCP server to the user's client. Use the absolute path of `.venv/bin/milanote-mcp`:
   - Claude Code: `claude mcp add milanote -- <abs path>/.venv/bin/milanote-mcp mcp`
   - Claude Desktop, Cursor, Codex: the config blocks in `README.md`, section "MCP server".
   - Add `--read-only` after `mcp` if the user only wants to read.
   The client loads new MCP servers on its next start. Tell the user.

If step 4 fails:

| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| `Chrome remote debugging is off` | Step 3 is not done, or Chrome is Beta, Canary or a custom profile: pass `--profile-dir "<profile folder>"`. |
| `Could not connect to Chrome` | The user did not click Allow, or Chrome is closed. Run `connect` again. |
| `This Chrome is not signed in to Milanote` | The user signs in at app.milanote.com in that Chrome, then run `connect` again. |
| No Chrome on this machine (a server) | The user copies the `__Secure-milanote.session_token` cookie from Chrome DevTools (Application, Cookies, https://app.milanote.com) and runs `milanote-mcp connect --token` themselves. Never ask them to paste the token into the chat. |

## Use the tools

- With the MCP server added, call its tools. Without it: `.venv/bin/milanote-mcp call <tool> key=value ...`, or one JSON object as the argument.
- `.venv/bin/milanote-mcp tools` lists every tool with access and route. `tools --json` adds the input schemas.
- Start with `list_boards`. Its `id` values are the `board_id` every other tool takes; a board URL works too. Sub-boards come from `list_boards` with `parent_board_id`, or as cards of type `board` in `get_board`.
- New cards land in the board's Unsorted panel. A free account stops at 100 cards: check `get_usage` before adding many.
- Lists return `has_more`. Raise `limit` to get the rest.
- Before a `write` tool, show the user what you will change and where, and get their OK. To undo a card you added, `trash_cards` it; `restore_card` brings it back.
- For a script or a cron job, use `milanote_api_mcp.scripting` (`call`, `write_rows`) and the scripts in `examples/` as models.
- For a REST API (n8n, other languages): `.venv/bin/milanote-mcp serve`, routes under `http://127.0.0.1:8787/api/v1/milanote`, docs at `/docs`.

Errors come as `<code>: <message>`. `auth_expired` means Milanote signed the session out: the user signs in again in Chrome and you run `connect`. `timeout` on a write means Milanote did not confirm it in time: read the board before you retry. More codes: `README.md`, section "Errors".

## Keep secrets out

- `~/.config/milanote-api-mcp/session.json` and `MILANOTE_AUTH_TOKEN` give full access to the user's Milanote account. Never print, log, commit or copy their content.
- `serve` listens on 127.0.0.1. Never start it on another address without `MILANOTE_MCP_TOKEN`.

## Change the code

| Path | What | Edit? |
|---|---|---|
| `milanote_api_mcp/milanote/` | the Milanote tools, one file per tool in `tools/`, shared request code in `client.py`, the write channel in `sync.py` | Yes for a local fix, but the next `git pull` brings our version of these files. Report the bug at https://github.com/cotletdev/milanote-api-mcp-server/issues |
| `milanote_api_mcp/app.py` | app name, domains, session cookie, REST prefix | Rarely |
| `milanote_api_mcp/core/` | `@tool` declaration, errors, the HTTP client with the session (`context.py`), the account guard | Yes |
| `milanote_api_mcp/session.py` | reading cookies and the time zone from Chrome over CDP, the session file | Yes |
| `milanote_api_mcp/runner.py`, `api.py`, `mcp_server.py`, `mcp_context.py`, `cli.py` | tool registry, REST API, MCP server, its prompts and resources, command line | Yes |
| `examples/` | scripts for common jobs | Yes |

A new tool is a new file in `milanote_api_mcp/milanote/tools/` with a `@tool(...)` declaration (name, access, input schema, `route`). The registry finds it, and the REST API, the MCP server and the CLI show it without other changes.

There is no test suite. After a change, run `.venv/bin/milanote-mcp tools` and one read tool against the user's account.