Integrates with ActivityWatch to enable LLMs to interact with time tracking data, providing tools for listing buckets, e...
Created byApr 23, 2025
ActivityWatch MCP Server
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that connects to [ActivityWatch](https://activitywatch.net/), allowing LLMs like Claude to interact with your time tracking data.
Features
**List Buckets**: View all available ActivityWatch buckets
You can install the ActivityWatch MCP server either from npm or by building it yourself.
Installing from npm (coming soon)
Building from Source
Clone this repository:
```bash
git clone https://github.com/8bitgentleman/activitywatch-mcp-server.git
cd activitywatch-mcp-server
```
Install dependencies:
```bash
npm install
```
Build the project:
```bash
npm run build
```
Prerequisites
[ActivityWatch](https://activitywatch.net/) installed and running
Node.js (v14 or higher)
Claude for Desktop (or any other MCP client)
Usage
Using with Claude for Desktop
Open your Claude for Desktop configuration file:
- Windows: `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json`
- macOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
Add the MCP server configuration:
If you built from source, use:
Restart Claude for Desktop
Look for the MCP icon in Claude's interface to confirm it's working
Example Queries
Here are some example queries you can try in Claude:
**List all your buckets**: "What ActivityWatch buckets do I have?"
**Get application usage summary**: "Can you show me which applications I've used the most today?"
**View browsing history**: "What websites have I spent the most time on today?"
**Check productivity**: "How much time have I spent in productivity apps today?"
**View settings**: "What are my ActivityWatch settings?" or "Can you check a specific setting in ActivityWatch?"
Available Tools
list-buckets
Lists all available ActivityWatch buckets with optional type filtering.
Parameters:
`type` (optional): Filter buckets by type (e.g., "window", "web", "afk")
`includeData` (optional): Include bucket data in response
run-query
Run a query in ActivityWatch's query language (AQL).
Parameters:
`timeperiods`: Time period(s) to query formatted as array of strings. For date ranges, use format: `["2024-10-28/2024-10-29"]`
`query`: Array of query statements in ActivityWatch Query Language, where each item is a complete query with statements separated by semicolons
`name` (optional): Name for the query (used for caching)
**IMPORTANT**: Each query string should contain a complete query with multiple statements separated by semicolons.
Example request format:
Note that:
`timeperiods` should have pre-formatted date ranges with slashes
Each item in the `query` array is a complete query with all statements
get-events
Get raw events from an ActivityWatch bucket.
Parameters:
`bucketId`: ID of the bucket to fetch events from
`start` (optional): Start date/time in ISO format
`end` (optional): End date/time in ISO format
`limit` (optional): Maximum number of events to return
get-settings
Get ActivityWatch settings from the server.
Parameters:
`key` (optional): Get a specific settings key instead of all settings
Query Language Examples
ActivityWatch uses a simple query language. Here are some common patterns:
Configuration
The server connects to the ActivityWatch API at `http://localhost:5600` by default. If your ActivityWatch instance is running on a different host or port, you can modify this in the source code.
Troubleshooting
ActivityWatch Not Running
If ActivityWatch isn't running, the server will show connection errors. Make sure ActivityWatch is running and accessible at http://localhost:5600.
Query Errors
If you're encountering query errors:
Check your query syntax
Make sure the bucket IDs are correct
Verify that the timeperiods contain data
Check ActivityWatch logs for more details
Claude/MCP Query Formatting Issues
If Claude reports errors when running queries through this MCP server, it's likely due to formatting issues. Make sure your query follows this exact format in your prompts:
Common issues:
Time periods not formatted correctly (should be "start/end" in a single string within an array)
**Query statements split into separate array elements instead of being combined in one string**
The Most Common Formatting Issue
The most frequent error is when Claude splits each query statement into its own array element like this:
This is INCORRECT. Instead, all statements should be in a single string within the array:
When Prompting Claude
When prompting Claude, be very explicit about the format and use examples. For instance, say:
"Run a query with timeperiods as `["2024-10-28/2024-10-29"]` and query as `["statement1; statement2; RETURN = result;"]`. Important: Make sure ALL query statements are in a single string within the array, not split into separate array elements."
Contributing
Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.