kanban

name	kanban
description	Manage kanban board tasks — add cards, move between columns, mark done, list, and reorder.
allowed-tools	["mcp__obsidian__read_note","mcp__obsidian__patch_note","mcp__obsidian__write_note","Bash"]
argument-hint	add <item> | move <item> <column> | done <item> | list | rank <item> <position>

Kanban: Board Task Management

Manage a single kanban board in the Obsidian vault. Add cards, move them between columns, mark them done, and reorder.

Board Location

• Board path: Work/Kanban.md
• Task notes: stored in the folder specified by the board's new-note-folder setting (default: Work/Tasks/)

Board Format

The Obsidian Kanban plugin stores boards as markdown. Columns are ## Headings, cards are - [ ] / - [x] list items. A settings block at the end stores board configuration.

Parsing Logic

Every subcommand must read and parse the board before operating. Follow these steps:

1. Read the board at Work/Kanban.md using mcp__obsidian__read_note. The response has fm (frontmatter) and content.
2. If the board does not exist, offer to create it (see Board Initialization).
3. Split content at %% kanban:settings to separate the board body from the settings block.
4. Parse the settings block to extract new-note-folder (used for task note creation).
5. Split the board body on ## to extract columns. Each column has:
   • A name (the heading text)
   • A list of cards: lines matching - [ ] or - [x]
6. Handle multi-line cards: if a line starts with whitespace (tab or spaces) after a card line, it is a continuation of that card.

Subcommands

list (default when no subcommand given)

1. Get today's date via date +%Y-%m-%d (Bash)
2. Read and parse the board
3. Present a clean summary of each column:

### Kanban

**Backlog** (3)
- [ ] [[Design API spec]]
- [ ] [[IC Team Setup]]
- [ ] Review DDR document

**In Progress** (1)
- [ ] [[DB Long Transactions]]

**Review** (0)

**Done** (2)
- [x] [[Handle CVE's]]
  ... and 1 more

4. Collapse columns with more than 5 cards (show first 5, then "... and N more")
5. If all columns are empty, say so and suggest /webby:kanban add

add <item> [to <column>]

1. Get today's date via date +%Y-%m-%d (Bash)

2. Read and parse the board

3. Determine the target column:

   • Default: first column (Backlog)
   • If user specifies a column (e.g., "add X to In Progress"), match case-insensitively against column headings
   • If no match, list available columns and ask

4. Build the card line:

   • For task-like items (multi-word, not a URL): - [ ] [[<item>]]
   • For URLs or quick reminders: - [ ] <item>
   • Append @{YYYY-MM-DD} if the user provides a due date
   • Append any #tags the user specifies

5. Patch the board to insert the card at the bottom of the target column:

   Patch strategy: Find the target column's content (from ## Column Name through to the blank lines before the next ## heading or %% kanban:settings). Insert the new card line after the last existing card (or after the heading if the column is empty).

   Patch example — adding to a column with existing cards:

   • oldString: ## Backlog\n\n- [ ] [[Existing Task]]\n
   • newString: ## Backlog\n\n- [ ] [[Existing Task]]\n- [ ] [[New Task]]\n

   Patch example — adding to an empty column:

   • oldString: ## Backlog\n\n\n
   • newString: ## Backlog\n\n- [ ] [[New Task]]\n\n

6. Create a linked task note if the card uses [[wikilinks]]:

   • Read new-note-folder from the board settings (default: Work/Tasks)
   • Check if the note already exists at <new-note-folder>/<item>.md using mcp__obsidian__read_note. If it exists, skip creation.
   • Create the note using mcp__obsidian__write_note:

   #task
   ### What
   <item description or left blank for user to fill>
   
   ### Why
   
   ### How
   
   ### Status
   - Created: YYYY-MM-DD
   
   #### Log
   - 
   
   #### Links
   

7. Report what was done:

   Added to Backlog:
   - [ ] [[Design API spec]]
   
   Created task note: Work/Tasks/Design API spec.md
   

Fallback: If patch_note fails, read the full board content, modify it in memory, and use mcp__obsidian__write_note with mode: "overwrite" to rewrite the board. Warn the user.

move <item> <column>

1. Read and parse the board

2. Find the card matching <item>:

   • Match case-insensitively against card text
   • Strip [[ ]], #tags, and @{dates} from card text before matching
   • Partial matches are OK (e.g., "api spec" matches - [ ] [[Design API spec]])

3. If no match: list all cards across all columns

4. If multiple matches: present numbered list and ask user to pick

5. Identify the source column (where the card currently is) and target column (matched case-insensitively against column headings)

6. If source and target are the same column, tell the user and stop

7. Patch the board with a single patch covering both the source and target columns:

   Determine which column appears first in the document. Build the oldString spanning from the earlier column's ## Heading through the later column's card list. Build the newString with the card removed from the source and appended to the target.

   Patch example — moving from Backlog to In Progress:

   • oldString: ## Backlog\n\n- [ ] [[Task A]]\n- [ ] [[Task B]]\n\n\n## In Progress\n\n- [ ] [[Task C]]\n
   • newString: ## Backlog\n\n- [ ] [[Task A]]\n\n\n## In Progress\n\n- [ ] [[Task C]]\n- [ ] [[Task B]]\n

8. Report the move:

   Moved to In Progress:
   - [ ] [[Task B]]
   

Fallback: If patch_note fails (e.g., board was modified between read and patch), re-read the board, rebuild the patch, and retry once. If it fails again, fall back to full rewrite.

done <item>

1. Read and parse the board

2. Find the card matching <item> (same matching logic as move)

3. Move the card to the "Done" column (same patch logic as move)

4. Toggle the card's checkbox: change - [ ] to - [x]

5. Report:

   Completed:
   - [x] [[Design API spec]]
   
   Moved from In Progress -> Done
   

rank <item> <position>

1. Read and parse the board

2. Find the card matching <item> and identify its current column

3. Parse <position>:

   • A number (1-based index within the column)
   • top — alias for position 1
   • bottom — alias for last position

4. Remove the card from its current position in the column

5. Insert it at the target position

6. Patch the column's card list:

   • oldString: the full card list within the column (all - [ ] / - [x] lines)
   • newString: the reordered card list

7. Report:

   Ranked [[Design API spec]] to #1 in Backlog
   

Board Initialization

If the board does not exist at Work/Kanban.md, offer to create it. If the user agrees, create it using mcp__obsidian__write_note:

---

kanban-plugin: board

---

## Backlog



## In Progress



## Review



## Done



%% kanban:settings

{"kanban-plugin":"board","list-collapse":[false,false,false,false],"new-note-folder":"Work/Tasks"}

%%

Use the exact frontmatter format above (blank lines around kanban-plugin: board). This is the format the Obsidian Kanban plugin expects.

Notes

• Apply the ghostwriter skill for tone in all output
• Keep output concise — report what was done, not a verbose explanation
• Preserve exact whitespace when patching. Always read the board immediately before patching and use the raw content for oldString construction.
• Do NOT use jira-cli, Bash for vault operations, or any non-MCP approach to modify vault files