Trello MCP Server Skill

Use this skill when an agent needs to inspect or manage Trello boards through the bundled MCP server. The skill carries its own server source in assets/source/ and installs it locally on first use.

Activation

Before using Trello tools, verify that the local server has been installed.

1. Check for a built server at: {XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}/mcp-server-trello-skill/server/build/index.js
2. If it is missing, run: bash {skill-root}/scripts/install.sh
3. Confirm the MCP client has TRELLO_API_KEY and TRELLO_TOKEN configured. Optional values are TRELLO_BOARD_ID, TRELLO_WORKSPACE_ID, https_proxy, and HTTPS_PROXY.

The install script builds from assets/source/ when Bun is available. If Bun is not available, it falls back to the published package install path and creates a local wrapper at the same build/index.js check path.

Reading Order

Load only the reference needed for the current Trello task.

• Start with references/trello-mcp/README.md for routing.
• Use references/trello-mcp/configuration.md for authentication, install, and client setup.
• Use references/trello-mcp/api.md when you need tool names and parameters.
• Use references/trello-mcp/patterns.md for common board, card, checklist, and attachment workflows.
• Use references/trello-mcp/gotchas.md for date formats, IDs, rate limits, and recovery steps.

Tool Routing

Choose tools by workflow, not by guessing IDs.

• Board discovery: list_boards, set_active_board, get_active_board_info, list_workspaces, set_active_workspace, list_boards_in_workspace.
• Lists and cards: get_lists, get_cards_by_list_id, get_card, add_card_to_list, update_card_details, move_card, archive_card, copy_card, add_cards_to_list, get_my_cards, get_card_history.
• Checklists: create_checklist, get_checklist_items, add_checklist_item, find_checklist_items_by_description, get_acceptance_criteria, get_checklist_by_name, update_checklist_item, delete_checklist_item, copy_checklist.
• Comments: add_comment, update_comment, delete_comment, get_card_comments.
• Attachments: attach_image_to_card, attach_file_to_card, attach_image_data_to_card, download_attachment.
• Labels and members: get_board_labels, create_label, update_label, delete_label, get_board_members, assign_member_to_card, remove_member_from_card.
• Health: get_health, get_health_detailed, get_health_metadata, get_health_performance, perform_system_repair.

Agent Rules

• Always discover the board, list, card, checklist, label, or member ID through tools before writing changes.
• Prefer set_active_board after board discovery when several operations target the same board.
• Use start dates as YYYY-MM-DD. Use due dates as full ISO 8601 timestamps.
• Treat Trello API writes as external side effects. Confirm destructive actions such as archive, delete, or repair unless the user already authorized them.
• Respect Trello rate limits: 300 requests per 10 seconds per API key and 100 requests per 10 seconds per token. The server queues requests, but agents should still batch discovery and avoid polling loops.