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Version: 0.0.2

Software Architecture

This document provides an overview of the ClickUp MCP Server architecture, its core components, and how they interact with each other.

System Overview​

ClickUp MCP Server is designed as a middleware layer between client applications and the ClickUp API. It implements a Model Context Protocol (MCP) pattern to provide a consistent interface regardless of the underlying transport mechanism. For more information about MCP, see the official documentation.

Core Components​

Client Layer​

The client layer provides interfaces for applications to communicate with the MCP server:

  • Transport Adapters: Implementations for different communication protocols (HTTP streaming, SSE)
  • Client Libraries: Language-specific libraries that implement the MCP protocol

Server Layer​

The server is the central component that:

  1. Receives client requests via different transport mechanisms
  2. Processes commands according to the MCP protocol
  3. Communicates with the ClickUp API
  4. Returns standardized responses to clients

Domain Models​

Domain models represent the core business entities from ClickUp:

  • ClickUpTeam: Represents a ClickUp workspace
  • ClickUpSpace: Represents a space within a team
  • ClickUpFolder: Represents a folder within a space
  • ClickUpList: Represents a list within a folder or space
  • ClickUpTask: Represents a task within a list
  • ClickUpUser: Represents a user within ClickUp

Transport Mechanisms​

HTTP Streaming​

Long-lived HTTP connections that stream responses back to clients. Features:

  • Simpler to implement on the client side
  • Works with standard HTTP libraries
  • Compatible with most network environments

Server-Sent Events (SSE)​

Event-based communication mechanism for real-time updates. Features:

  • Native browser support
  • Automatic reconnection
  • Event-based programming model

Data Flow​

Environment Configuration​

The server supports configuration through:

  • Command-line arguments
  • Environment variables
  • .env files with custom paths

Configuration is handled through a centralized configuration system that ensures consistency across all components.

Security Model​

  • API tokens are securely managed and never exposed
  • Token validation occurs before any API requests
  • No persistent storage of tokens (loaded at runtime)
  • Transport security relies on HTTPS/TLS

Error Handling​

  • Standardized error responses across all transports
  • Detailed error information for debugging
  • Graceful degradation on API failures

Extensibility​

The architecture is designed to be extensible in several ways:

  1. New Transport Mechanisms: Additional transport options can be added by implementing the Transport interface
  2. Additional API Resources: New ClickUp API resources can be integrated by extending the domain models
  3. Custom Command Handlers: Special-purpose commands can be added with custom handlers

Design Patterns​

The project uses several design patterns:

  • Factory Pattern: For creating clients and server instances
  • Strategy Pattern: For selecting transport mechanisms
  • Repository Pattern: For data access abstraction
  • Command Pattern: For handling MCP commands
  • Adapter Pattern: For different transport implementations