240 lines
12 KiB
Markdown
240 lines
12 KiB
Markdown
---
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name: todoist-automation
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description: "Automate Todoist task management, projects, sections, filtering, and bulk operations via Rube MCP (Composio). Always search tools first for current schemas."
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risk: critical
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source: community
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date_added: "2026-02-27"
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---
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# Todoist Automation via Rube MCP
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Automate Todoist operations including task creation and management, project organization, section management, filtering, and bulk task workflows through Composio's Todoist toolkit.
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## Prerequisites
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- Rube MCP must be connected (RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS available)
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- Active Todoist connection via `RUBE_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS` with toolkit `todoist`
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- Always call `RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS` first to get current tool schemas
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## Setup
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**Get Rube MCP**: Add `https://rube.app/mcp` as an MCP server in your client configuration. No API keys needed — just add the endpoint and it works.
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1. Verify Rube MCP is available by confirming `RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS` responds
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2. Call `RUBE_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS` with toolkit `todoist`
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3. If connection is not ACTIVE, follow the returned auth link to complete Todoist OAuth
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4. Confirm connection status shows ACTIVE before running any workflows
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## Core Workflows
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### 1. Create and Manage Tasks
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**When to use**: User wants to create, update, complete, reopen, or delete tasks
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**Tool sequence**:
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1. `TODOIST_GET_ALL_PROJECTS` - List projects to find the target project ID [Prerequisite]
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2. `TODOIST_GET_ALL_SECTIONS` - List sections within a project for task placement [Optional]
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3. `TODOIST_CREATE_TASK` - Create a single task with content, due date, priority, labels [Required]
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4. `TODOIST_BULK_CREATE_TASKS` - Create multiple tasks in one request [Alternative]
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5. `TODOIST_UPDATE_TASK` - Modify task properties (content, due date, priority, labels) [Optional]
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6. `TODOIST_CLOSE_TASK` - Mark a task as completed [Optional]
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7. `TODOIST_REOPEN_TASK` - Restore a previously completed task [Optional]
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8. `TODOIST_DELETE_TASK` - Permanently remove a task [Optional]
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**Key parameters for CREATE_TASK**:
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- `content`: Task title (supports markdown and hyperlinks)
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- `description`: Additional notes (do NOT put due dates here)
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- `project_id`: Alphanumeric project ID; omit to add to Inbox
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- `section_id`: Alphanumeric section ID for placement within a project
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- `parent_id`: Task ID for creating subtasks
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- `priority`: 1 (normal) to 4 (urgent) -- note: Todoist UI shows p1=urgent, API p4=urgent
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- `due_string`: Natural language date like `"tomorrow at 3pm"`, `"every Friday at 9am"`
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- `due_date`: Specific date `YYYY-MM-DD` format
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- `due_datetime`: Specific date+time in RFC3339 `YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ssZ`
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- `labels`: Array of label name strings
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- `duration` + `duration_unit`: Task duration (e.g., `30` + `"minute"`)
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**Pitfalls**:
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- Only one `due_*` field can be used at a time (except `due_lang` which can accompany any)
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- Do NOT embed due dates in `content` or `description` -- use `due_string` field
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- Do NOT embed duration phrases like "for 30 minutes" in `due_string` -- use `duration` + `duration_unit`
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- `priority` in API: 1=normal, 4=urgent (opposite of Todoist UI display where p1=urgent)
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- Task IDs can be numeric or alphanumeric; use the format returned by the API
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- `CLOSE_TASK` marks complete; `DELETE_TASK` permanently removes -- they are different operations
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### 2. Manage Projects
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**When to use**: User wants to list, create, update, or inspect projects
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**Tool sequence**:
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1. `TODOIST_GET_ALL_PROJECTS` - List all projects with metadata [Required]
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2. `TODOIST_GET_PROJECT` - Get details for a specific project by ID [Optional]
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3. `TODOIST_CREATE_PROJECT` - Create a new project with name, color, view style [Optional]
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4. `TODOIST_UPDATE_PROJECT` - Modify project properties [Optional]
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**Key parameters**:
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- `name`: Project name (required for creation)
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- `color`: Todoist palette color (e.g., `"blue"`, `"red"`, `"green"`, `"charcoal"`)
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- `view_style`: `"list"` or `"board"` layout
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- `parent_id`: Parent project ID for creating sub-projects
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- `is_favorite` / `favorite`: Boolean to mark as favorite
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- `project_id`: Required for update and get operations
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**Pitfalls**:
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- Projects with similar names can lead to selecting the wrong project_id; always verify
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- `CREATE_PROJECT` uses `favorite` while `UPDATE_PROJECT` uses `is_favorite` -- different field names
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- Use the project `id` returned by API, not the `v2_id`, for downstream operations
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- Alphanumeric/URL-style project IDs may cause HTTP 400 in some tools; use numeric ID if available
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### 3. Manage Sections
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**When to use**: User wants to organize tasks within projects using sections
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**Tool sequence**:
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1. `TODOIST_GET_ALL_PROJECTS` - Find the target project ID [Prerequisite]
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2. `TODOIST_GET_ALL_SECTIONS` - List existing sections to avoid duplicates [Prerequisite]
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3. `TODOIST_CREATE_SECTION` - Create a new section in a project [Required]
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4. `TODOIST_UPDATE_SECTION` - Rename an existing section [Optional]
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5. `TODOIST_DELETE_SECTION` - Permanently remove a section [Optional]
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**Key parameters**:
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- `project_id`: Required -- the project to create the section in
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- `name`: Section name (required for creation)
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- `order`: Integer position within the project (lower values appear first)
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- `section_id`: Required for update and delete operations
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**Pitfalls**:
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- `CREATE_SECTION` requires `project_id` and `name` -- omitting project_id causes a 400 error
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- HTTP 400 "project_id is invalid" can occur if alphanumeric ID is used; prefer numeric ID
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- Deleting a section may move or regroup its tasks in non-obvious ways
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- Response may include both `id` and `v2_id`; store and reuse the correct identifier consistently
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- Always check existing sections first to avoid creating duplicates
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### 4. Search and Filter Tasks
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**When to use**: User wants to find tasks by criteria, view today's tasks, or get completed task history
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**Tool sequence**:
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1. `TODOIST_GET_ALL_TASKS` - Fetch incomplete tasks with optional filter query [Required]
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2. `TODOIST_GET_TASK` - Get full details of a specific task by ID [Optional]
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3. `TODOIST_GET_COMPLETED_TASKS_BY_COMPLETION_DATE` - Retrieve completed tasks within a date range [Optional]
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4. `TODOIST_LIST_FILTERS` - List user's custom saved filters [Optional]
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**Key parameters for GET_ALL_TASKS**:
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- `filter`: Todoist filter syntax string
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- Keywords: `today`, `tomorrow`, `overdue`, `no date`, `recurring`, `subtask`
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- Priority: `p1` (urgent), `p2`, `p3`, `p4` (normal)
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- Projects: `#ProjectName` (must exist in account)
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- Labels: `@LabelName` (must exist in account)
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- Date ranges: `7 days`, `-7 days`, `due before: YYYY-MM-DD`, `due after: YYYY-MM-DD`
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- Search: `search: keyword` for content text search
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- Operators: `&` (AND), `|` (OR), `!` (NOT)
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- `ids`: List of specific task IDs to retrieve
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**Key parameters for GET_COMPLETED_TASKS_BY_COMPLETION_DATE**:
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- `since`: Start date in RFC3339 format (e.g., `2024-01-01T00:00:00Z`)
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- `until`: End date in RFC3339 format
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- `project_id`, `section_id`, `parent_id`: Optional filters
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- `cursor`: Pagination cursor from previous response
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- `limit`: Max results per page (default 50)
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**Pitfalls**:
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- `GET_ALL_TASKS` returns ONLY incomplete tasks; use `GET_COMPLETED_TASKS_BY_COMPLETION_DATE` for completed ones
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- Filter terms must reference ACTUAL EXISTING entities; arbitrary text causes HTTP 400 errors
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- Do NOT use `completed`, `!completed`, or `completed after` in GET_ALL_TASKS filter -- causes 400 error
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- `GET_COMPLETED_TASKS_BY_COMPLETION_DATE` limits date range to approximately 3 months between `since` and `until`
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- Search uses `search: keyword` syntax within the filter, not a separate parameter
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### 5. Bulk Task Creation
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**When to use**: User wants to scaffold a project with multiple tasks at once
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**Tool sequence**:
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1. `TODOIST_GET_ALL_PROJECTS` - Find target project ID [Prerequisite]
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2. `TODOIST_GET_ALL_SECTIONS` - Find section IDs for task placement [Optional]
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3. `TODOIST_BULK_CREATE_TASKS` - Create multiple tasks in a single request [Required]
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**Key parameters**:
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- `tasks`: Array of task objects, each requiring at minimum `content`
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- Each task object supports: `content`, `description`, `project_id`, `section_id`, `parent_id`, `priority`, `labels`, `due` (object with `string`, `date`, or `datetime`), `duration`, `order`
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**Pitfalls**:
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- Each task in the array must have at least the `content` field
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- The `due` field in bulk create is an object with nested fields (`string`, `date`, `datetime`, `lang`) -- different structure from CREATE_TASK's flat fields
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- All tasks can target different projects/sections within the same batch
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## Common Patterns
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### ID Resolution
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Always resolve human-readable names to IDs before operations:
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- **Project name -> Project ID**: `TODOIST_GET_ALL_PROJECTS`, match by `name` field
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- **Section name -> Section ID**: `TODOIST_GET_ALL_SECTIONS` with `project_id`
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- **Task content -> Task ID**: `TODOIST_GET_ALL_TASKS` with `filter` or `search: keyword`
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### Pagination
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- `TODOIST_GET_ALL_TASKS`: Returns all matching incomplete tasks (no pagination needed)
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- `TODOIST_GET_COMPLETED_TASKS_BY_COMPLETION_DATE`: Uses cursor-based pagination; follow `cursor` from response until no more results
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- `TODOIST_GET_ALL_PROJECTS` and `TODOIST_GET_ALL_SECTIONS`: Return all results (no pagination)
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### Due Date Handling
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- Natural language: Use `due_string` (e.g., `"tomorrow at 3pm"`, `"every Monday"`)
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- Specific date: Use `due_date` in `YYYY-MM-DD` format
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- Specific datetime: Use `due_datetime` in RFC3339 format (`YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ssZ`)
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- Only use ONE due field at a time (except `due_lang` which can accompany any)
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- Recurring tasks: Use natural language in `due_string` (e.g., `"every Friday at 9am"`)
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## Known Pitfalls
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### ID Formats
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- Task IDs can be numeric (`"2995104339"`) or alphanumeric (`"6X4Vw2Hfmg73Q2XR"`)
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- Project IDs similarly vary; prefer the format returned by the API
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- Some tools accept only numeric IDs; if 400 error occurs, try fetching the numeric `id` via GET_PROJECT
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- Response objects may contain both `id` and `v2_id`; use `id` for API operations
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### Priority Inversion
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- API priority: 1 = normal, 4 = urgent
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- Todoist UI display: p1 = urgent, p4 = normal
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- This is inverted; always clarify with the user which convention they mean
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### Filter Syntax
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- Filter terms must reference real entities in the user's account
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- `#NonExistentProject` or `@NonExistentLabel` will cause HTTP 400
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- Use `search: keyword` for text search, not bare keywords
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- Combine with `&` (AND), `|` (OR), `!` (NOT)
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- `completed` filters do NOT work on GET_ALL_TASKS endpoint
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### Rate Limits
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- Todoist API has rate limits; batch operations should use `BULK_CREATE_TASKS` where possible
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- Space out rapid sequential requests to avoid throttling
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## Quick Reference
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| Task | Tool Slug | Key Params |
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| List all projects | `TODOIST_GET_ALL_PROJECTS` | (none) |
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| Get project | `TODOIST_GET_PROJECT` | `project_id` |
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| Create project | `TODOIST_CREATE_PROJECT` | `name`, `color`, `view_style` |
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| Update project | `TODOIST_UPDATE_PROJECT` | `project_id`, `name`, `color` |
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| List sections | `TODOIST_GET_ALL_SECTIONS` | `project_id` |
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| Create section | `TODOIST_CREATE_SECTION` | `project_id`, `name`, `order` |
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| Update section | `TODOIST_UPDATE_SECTION` | `section_id`, `name` |
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| Delete section | `TODOIST_DELETE_SECTION` | `section_id` |
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| Get all tasks | `TODOIST_GET_ALL_TASKS` | `filter`, `ids` |
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| Get task | `TODOIST_GET_TASK` | `task_id` |
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| Create task | `TODOIST_CREATE_TASK` | `content`, `project_id`, `due_string`, `priority` |
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| Bulk create tasks | `TODOIST_BULK_CREATE_TASKS` | `tasks` (array) |
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| Update task | `TODOIST_UPDATE_TASK` | `task_id`, `content`, `due_string` |
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| Complete task | `TODOIST_CLOSE_TASK` | `task_id` |
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| Reopen task | `TODOIST_REOPEN_TASK` | `task_id` |
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| Delete task | `TODOIST_DELETE_TASK` | `task_id` |
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| Completed tasks | `TODOIST_GET_COMPLETED_TASKS_BY_COMPLETION_DATE` | `since`, `until` |
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| List filters | `TODOIST_LIST_FILTERS` | `sync_token` |
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## When to Use
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This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.
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## Limitations
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- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
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- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
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- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.
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