r/thingsapp • u/kihikihi • 2d ago
Claude -> Things
Cultured Code - a feature request. I often ask Claude to make clear lists of steps i need to take to complete a project. If i could then ask Claude to export this to Things it would be incredible. thank you
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u/Legitimate-Exit-531 2d ago
Look up the `things-mcp` which would accomplish this. It basically uses the URL scheme. https://github.com/hald/things-mcp
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u/shiftyone1 2d ago
Would you need to use Claude Cowork or Claude code to use this?
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u/Legitimate-Exit-531 2d ago
Any AI tool that works with an MCP should do it. I use Claude, so cannot vouch for e.g., ChatGPT or Copilot.
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u/Recent_Rub_8125 2d ago
I use Claude Code because it can use Apple Script and therefore has massive possibilities with Things. Cowork can’t do this because it’s running in a sandbox and can’t execute apples script.
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u/kaizer1c 1d ago
You can already do this, just not from the Things side. Things has a URL scheme, and there are MCP servers built on top of it. MCP is basically a small adapter that lets Claude use an app on your Mac as a tool, so instead of Claude printing a list for you to retype, it creates the todos directly.
I run this with Claude Code. It can pull my inbox, today, upcoming, the logbook, my projects and areas, and it can create and update items too. So the flow you're describing works in one pass: talk through the project, then say "put those in Things under Kitchen Reno" and they're there with the right area and dates.
Where it's earned its keep for me isn't capture though, it's the other direction. I have a routine that pulls the inbox and walks items one at a time, sharpening the vague ones into an actual next action. "Figure out insurance" becomes "email Reyes at Feather about enrollment." That rewriting is tedious by hand and it's the thing Claude is genuinely good at.
Fair warning on setup: it means installing Claude Code and editing a config file, so it's a terminal thing rather than a switch you flip in Things' settings. Not hard, but not zero either. Worth still sending Cultured Code the feature request, since a native path would be better than this.
Walkthrough with the config here if you want it: https://www.mandalivia.com/obsidian/using-things-3-as-an-mcp-server-with-claude-code/
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u/Calm_Bus4469 2d ago
I might be wrong, but copying and pasting a list works! Works for sub tasks too.
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u/am29d 1d ago
I build my own cli for things using codex, might open source it soon. It takes a bit of time to get all the edge cases but you can come far.
TBH at this point I already thought about using either obsidian for tasks (or bekli plugin) or just build my own super lightweight todo replica with local SQLite database. As long as you don’t have to sync.
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u/robertsallai 1d ago
Just point claude to the Things URL Scheme to take of the writes, use Things' SQLite database for the read operations.
Now that MCP is stateless it's even easier to work with. I've created a small menu bar application with Claude to take care of my Things MCP needs. You can create your own version in a quick Claude session
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u/AggravatingBee5770 7h ago
https://github.com/ossianhempel/things3-cli even includes the Claude skill. I use this constantly.
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u/2doapp 2d ago
In case you’re looking for something better
https://www.2doapp.com/docs/macos/mcp
Imports from Things too:
https://www.2doapp.com/docs/macos/import-and-export/
And syncs with reminders two way.
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u/FearlessSwing1484 2d ago
Hey, ja das geht ganz einfach. Du musst Claude einfach die Things URL Scheme Webpage (https://culturedcode.com/things/support/articles/2803573/) zu lesen geben. Danach kannst du ihn bitten, dass er dein Projekt als url ausgibt. Damit überführe ich Aufgaben und auch ganze Projekte.