devsteps-server
Never Code Alone. MCP server for AI-assisted developer task tracking - team up with your AI.
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π DevSteps - Developer Task Tracking System
Never Code Alone. Team Up With Your AI.
β¨ Features
- π Structured Task Management - Requirements, Features, Tests, and Bugs
- π Traceability - Link items together (REQ β FEAT β TEST)
- π€ AI Integration - MCP Server for Claude Desktop and other AI tools
- β‘ CLI Tool - Fast command-line interface for developers
- π Smart Search - Find items by tags, status, assignee, or full-text
- π Reports & Stats - Generate reports, changelogs, and roadmaps
- π Git Integration - Track commits per item automatically
- πΎ Local First - All data stored locally in
.devsteps/directory - π― Multi-Methodology Support - Scrum, Waterfall, or Hybrid approaches
- π Eisenhower Matrix - Prioritize tasks by urgency and importance
π― Methodologies & Item Types
DevSteps supports three project methodologies, each with tailored item types:
π Scrum (Agile)
Best for: Iterative development, sprints, user stories
Item Types:
epic- Large features spanning multiple sprintsstory- User stories with acceptance criteriatask- Implementation work itemsbug- Defects and issuesspike- Research and exploration taskstest- Test cases and scenarios
Example Workflow:
devsteps init my-project --methodology scrum
devsteps add epic "User Management System"
devsteps add story "As a user, I want to login" --links EPIC-001
devsteps add task "Implement login API endpoint" --links STORY-001
π’ Waterfall (Traditional)
Best for: Sequential phases, formal requirements
Item Types:
requirement- Formal requirements documentationfeature- Features derived from requirementstask- Implementation work itemsbug- Defects and issuestest- Test cases and scenarios
Example Workflow:
devsteps init my-project --methodology waterfall
devsteps add requirement "System shall authenticate users"
devsteps add feature "Login functionality" --links REQ-001
devsteps add test "Verify login with valid credentials" --links FEAT-001
π Hybrid (Best of Both)
Best for: Flexible teams combining approaches
Item Types: All types from both Scrum and Waterfall (epic, story, requirement, feature, task, bug, spike, test)
Example Workflow:
devsteps init my-project --methodology hybrid
devsteps add requirement "Performance SLA: <200ms response"
devsteps add story "As a user, I want fast search results"
devsteps add spike "Investigate ElasticSearch vs PostgreSQL FTS"
π Eisenhower Matrix Integration
DevSteps includes built-in support for the Eisenhower Matrix to help prioritize tasks effectively:
Quadrants
| Quadrant | Urgency | Importance | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Urgent | Important | Do First - Critical tasks requiring immediate attention |
| Q2 | Not Urgent | Important | Schedule - Strategic work, planning, improvement |
| Q3 | Urgent | Not Important | Delegate - Interruptions, some meetings |
| Q4 | Not Urgent | Not Important | Eliminate - Time wasters, busy work |
Usage Example
# Create Q1 tasks (urgent & important)
devsteps add task "Fix production bug" --priority urgent-important
devsteps add task "Refactor authentication module" --priority not-urgent-important
devsteps add task "Update meeting notes" --priority urgent-not-important
# List tasks by quadrant
devsteps list --priority urgent-important # Q1 - Do First
devsteps list --priority not-urgent-important # Q2 - Schedule
Eisenhower as Priority
- DevSteps uses the Eisenhower Matrix as the single priority system.
- Choose a quadrant to reflect urgency and importance.
Example:
devsteps add bug "Memory leak in user service" --priority urgent-important
π οΈ Tech Stack
- Runtime: Bun - Fast all-in-one JavaScript runtime
- Language: TypeScript 5.7+ with strict mode
- MCP SDK: @modelcontextprotocol/sdk
- CLI: Commander.js, Inquirer, Chalk, Ora
- Validation: Zod for runtime type safety
- Linting: Biome for fast linting and formatting
- Testing: Vitest for unit and integration tests
π¦ Installation
Prerequisites
| Requirement | Minimum Version | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| VS Code | 1.109.0 | Required for parallel #runSubagent dispatch |
| Bun | latest | Build toolchain |
| Node.js | 22+ | Runtime |
Install Bun:
curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash
Install DevSteps
# Clone and build
git clone <repository-url>
cd devsteps
bun install
bun run build
# Link CLI globally (optional)
cd packages/cli
bun link
π Quick Start
Initialize a Project
devsteps init my-project
Add Items
# Add a requirement
devsteps add req "User authentication system"
# Add a feature
devsteps add feat "Login form with email/password"
# Add a test
devsteps add test "Test login with valid credentials"
Link Items
devsteps link REQ-001 implements FEAT-001
devsteps link FEAT-001 tested-by TEST-001
View Status
devsteps status
devsteps list --status=in-progress
devsteps trace REQ-001
π Quick Start
1. Install VS Code Extension
From Marketplace (Recommended):
- Open VS Code
- Go to Extensions (
Ctrl+Shift+X) - Search:
devsteps - Click Install
- Reload window
Self-Contained Features:
- β MCP Server bundled (no Node.js needed)
- β Works offline after installation
- β Zero configuration required
- β Auto-registers with GitHub Copilot
2. Initialize Project
Open any workspace and use Copilot Chat:
@workspace Initialize devsteps with Scrum methodology
Or use CLI (if installed separately):
devsteps init my-project --methodology scrum
3. Start Using
With GitHub Copilot:
@workspace Add a new task for user authentication
@workspace List all high-priority items
@workspace Show status of TASK-042
With TreeView:
- Click DevSteps icon in Activity Bar
- Browse hierarchical structure
- Click items to open/edit
- Use toolbar filters
MCP Setup
The DevSteps VS Code extension automatically registers the MCP server β no manual configuration required when installed from the Marketplace.
VS Code 1.109+ required. The extension registers the MCP server on activation via the VS Code MCP API.
Automatic Setup (Recommended)
- Install the extension from the Marketplace
- Open a workspace folder
- The MCP server starts automatically β look for
$(check) DevSteps MCPin the status bar - All
mcp_devsteps_*tools are immediately available in Copilot Chat
Manual Setup (WSL / Remote)
If you're running VS Code via WSL Remote and need to configure the server manually, add this to .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace:
{
"servers": {
"devsteps": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "node",
"args": [
"/path/to/devsteps/packages/mcp-server/dist/index.js",
"/path/to/your/workspace"
]
}
}
}
Replace paths with your actual installation paths. Then reload the window (Ctrl+Shift+P β Developer: Reload Window).
Verifying the Connection
In Copilot Chat, run:
/mcp.devsteps.devsteps-onboard
This loads the current project context and confirms the MCP server is connected.
Available MCP Prompts
| Prompt | Description |
|---|---|
/mcp.devsteps.devsteps-onboard | Load project context into the AI session |
/mcp.devsteps.devsteps-sprint-review | Summarise in-progress items and blockers |
/mcp.devsteps.devsteps-commit-message | Generate a Conventional Commits message for an item |
οΏ½π Documentation
- Installation Guide - Detailed setup instructions
- Development Guide - Contributing and local development
- CLI Commands - Command-line reference
- MCP Tools Reference - AI integration tools
ποΈ Project Structure
devsteps/
βββ packages/
β βββ mcp-server/ # MCP server for AI integration
β βββ cli/ # CLI tool for developers
β βββ shared/ # Shared types, schemas, and utilities
βββ .devsteps/ # Example project data
βββ docs/ # Documentation
βββ README.md
π§ͺ Development
# Install dependencies
bun install
# Development mode (watch)
bun run dev
# Build all packages
bun run build
# Run tests
bun test
# Lint and format
bun run lint
bun run format
# Type check
bun run typecheck
π€ Author
Thomas Hertel
- Email: the@devsteps.dev
- GitHub: @devsteps
π€ Contributing
We welcome contributions! Please read our guidelines before submitting pull requests:
- Contributing Guide - Development setup, PR process, coding standards
- Code of Conduct - Community standards and expectations
- Security Policy - Vulnerability disclosure process
Quick Start for Contributors
# Fork and clone
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/devsteps.git
cd devsteps
# Install and build
npm install
npm run build
# Run tests
npm test
All contributions require:
- β Conventional Commits format
- β
DCO sign-off (
git commit -s) - β Tests for new features
- β Code quality checks passing
π License
Copyright Β© 2025 Thomas Hertel (the@devsteps.dev)
This project is licensed under the Apache License 2.0 - see the LICENSE.md file for details.
Key License Points
- β Free to use - Commercial and private use allowed
- β Modify and distribute - Create derivatives under same license
- β Patent protection - Contributors grant patent rights
- β οΈ Trademark - "DevSteps" name is protected (see below)
- β οΈ No warranty - Provided "AS IS" without guarantees
β’ Trademark Policy
"DevSteps" is a trademark of Thomas Hertel. The Apache 2.0 license does NOT grant permission to use the "DevSteps" name or logo without authorization.
You MAY:
- Use DevSteps software as-is or modified for any purpose
- Redistribute DevSteps under Apache 2.0 terms
- Reference DevSteps in documentation or comparisons
You MAY NOT:
- Use "DevSteps" name for derivative products without permission
- Imply official endorsement by using "DevSteps" trademark
- Register "DevSteps" or similar marks
For trademark usage inquiries: the@devsteps.dev
β οΈ Disclaimer
This software is provided "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and noninfringement. See LICENSE.md for full warranty disclaimer and limitation of liability.
π‘ Inspiration
Inspired by:
- Issue tracking systems (Jira, Linear, GitHub Issues)
- Documentation-as-code practices
- Requirements traceability in regulated industries
- Developer-first tooling philosophy
Made with β€οΈ by the DevSteps Community
