How to integrate Basecamp MCP with Claude Agent SDK

Connect Claude Agent SDK to Basecamp MCP. Create a new project for client onboarding, add a to-do item to the marketing team, and more using natural language, with authentication handled for you.

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Basecamp is a project management and team collaboration tool by 37signals. It helps teams organize tasks, share files, and communicate efficiently in one place.

141 Tools

Introduction

This guide walks you through connecting Basecamp to the Claude Agent SDK using the Composio tool router. By the end, you'll have a working Basecamp agent that can create a new project for client onboarding, add a to-do item to the marketing team, post a team-wide announcement in campfire chat through natural language commands.

This guide will help you understand how to give your Claude Agent SDK agent real control over a Basecamp account through Composio's Basecamp MCP server.

Before we dive in, let's take a quick look at the key ideas and tools involved.

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TL;DR

Here's what you'll learn:
  • Get and set up your Claude/Anthropic and Composio API keys
  • Install the necessary dependencies
  • Initialize Composio and create a Tool Router session for Basecamp
  • Configure an AI agent that can use Basecamp as a tool
  • Run a live chat session where you can ask the agent to perform Basecamp operations

What is Claude Agent SDK?

The Claude Agent SDK is Anthropic's official framework for building AI agents powered by Claude. It provides a streamlined interface for creating agents with MCP tool support and conversation management.

Key features include:

  • Native MCP Support: Built-in support for Model Context Protocol servers
  • Permission Modes: Control tool execution permissions
  • Streaming Responses: Real-time response streaming for interactive applications
  • Context Manager: Clean async context management for sessions

What is the Basecamp MCP server, and what's possible with it?

The Basecamp MCP server is an implementation of the Model Context Protocol that connects your AI agent and assistants like Claude, Cursor, etc directly to your Basecamp account. It provides structured and secure access to your projects, to-dos, message boards, schedules, documents, chats, and card tables, so your agent can create projects, manage tasks, publish updates, organize cards, and retrieve project details on your behalf.

  • Project planning and updates: Have your agent create projects, review project details and participants, or update project names, descriptions, access settings, and schedules.
  • To-do management: Let the agent create, review, update, complete, and comment on to-dos, as well as review and update to-do lists.
  • Team communication: Direct your agent to publish message board posts, retrieve existing messages, review Campfire chats, and add comments to project work.
  • Card table organization: Instruct your agent to review card tables, create and update cards, or move cards between columns as work progresses.
  • Schedules and shared documents: Have your agent review project schedules and entries, retrieve vault documents, and create or update shared documents.

What is the Composio tool router, and how does it fit here?

What is Composio SDK?

Composio's Composio SDK helps agents find the right tools for a task at runtime. You can plug in multiple toolkits (like Gmail, HubSpot, and GitHub), and the agent will identify the relevant app and action to complete multi-step workflows. This can reduce token usage and improve the reliability of tool calls. Read more here: Getting started with Composio SDK

The tool router generates a secure MCP URL that your agents can access to perform actions.

How the Composio SDK works

The Composio SDK follows a three-phase workflow:

  1. Discovery: Searches for tools matching your task and returns relevant toolkits with their details.
  2. Authentication: Checks for active connections. If missing, creates an auth config and returns a connection URL via Auth Link.
  3. Execution: Executes the action using the authenticated connection.

Step-by-step Guide

Step by step09 STEPS
1

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:
  • Composio API Key and Claude/Anthropic API Key
  • Primary know-how of Claude Agents SDK
  • A Basecamp account
  • Some knowledge of Python
2

Getting API Keys for Claude/Anthropic and Composio

Claude/Anthropic API Key
  • Go to the Anthropic Console and create an API key. You'll need credits to use the models.
  • Keep the API key safe.
Composio API Key
  • Log in to the Composio dashboard.
  • Navigate to your API settings and generate a new API key.
  • Store this key securely as you'll need it for authentication.
3

Install dependencies

npm install @anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk @composio/core dotenv

Install the Composio SDK and the Claude Agents SDK.

What's happening:

  • @composio/core provides Composio integration for Anthropic
  • @anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk is the core agent framework
  • dotenv/config loads environment variables
4

Set up environment variables

bash
COMPOSIO_API_KEY=your_composio_api_key_here
USER_ID=your_user_id_here
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_anthropic_api_key_here

Create a .env file in your project root.

What's happening:

  • COMPOSIO_API_KEY authenticates with Composio
  • USER_ID identifies the user for session management
  • ANTHROPIC_API_KEY authenticates with Anthropic/Claude
5

Import dependencies

import 'dotenv/config';
import readline from 'node:readline';
import { Composio } from '@composio/core';
import { query, type Options } from "@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk";

dotenv.config();
What's happening:
  • We're importing all necessary libraries including the Claude Agent SDK and Composio
  • The dotenv.config() function loads environment variables from your .env file
  • This setup prepares the foundation for connecting Claude with Basecamp functionality
6

Create a Composio instance and Tool Router session

async function chat() {
  const { COMPOSIO_API_KEY, USER_ID } = process.env;
  if (!COMPOSIO_API_KEY || !USER_ID) {
    throw new Error('COMPOSIO_API_KEY and USER_ID required in .env');
  }

  const composio = new Composio({ apiKey: COMPOSIO_API_KEY });

  // Create Tool Router session for Basecamp
  const session = await composio.create(USER_ID, {
    toolkits: ['basecamp'],
  });
  const mcpUrl = session?.mcp.url;
What's happening:
  • The function checks for the required COMPOSIO_API_KEY environment variable
  • We're creating a Composio instance using our API key
  • The create method creates a Tool Router session for Basecamp
  • The returned url is the MCP server URL that your agent will use
7

Configure Claude Agent with MCP

const options: Options = {
  permissionMode: 'bypassPermissions',
  mcpServers: {
    composio: {
      type: 'http',
      url: mcpUrl,
      headers: { 'x-api-key': COMPOSIO_API_KEY }
    }
  },
  systemPrompt: 'You are a helpful assistant with access to Basecamp tools via Composio.',
  maxTurns: 10,
};
What's happening:
  • We're configuring the Claude Agent options with the MCP server URL
  • permissionMode: 'bypassPermissions' allows the agent to execute operations without asking for permission each time
  • The system prompt instructs the agent that it has access to Basecamp
  • maxTurns: 10 limits the conversation length to prevent excessive API usage
8

Create client and start chat loop

const rl = readline.createInterface({
    input: process.stdin,
    output: process.stdout,
    prompt: 'You: '
  });

  console.log('\nChat started. Type "exit" to quit.\n');

  let isProcessing = false;

  async function ask(prompt: string) {
    isProcessing = true;
    rl.pause();

    process.stdout.write('Claude is thinking...');
    const stream = query({ prompt, options });

    let firstChunk = true;
    for await (const msg of stream) {
      const content = (msg as any).message?.content || (msg as any).content;
      if (Array.isArray(content)) {
        for (const block of content) {
          if (block.type === 'text' && block.text) {
            if (firstChunk) {
              process.stdout.write('\r\x1b[K');
              process.stdout.write('Claude: ');
              firstChunk = false;
            }
            process.stdout.write(block.text);
          }
        }
      }
    }
    process.stdout.write('\n\n');

    isProcessing = false;
    rl.resume();
    rl.prompt();
  }

  rl.on('line', async (line) => {
    if (isProcessing) return;

    const input = line.trim();
    if (input === 'exit') {
      rl.close();
      process.exit(0);
    }
    if (input) await ask(input);
    else rl.prompt();
  });

  await ask('What can you help me with?');
}
What's happening:
  • The readline interface is created to handle user input and output
  • The query function is used to send the user's input to the agent
  • The chat loop continues until the user types 'exit' or 'quit'
9

Run the application

try {
  await chat();
} catch (error) {
  console.error(error);
  process.exit(1);
}
What's happening:
  • The chat function is the entry point for the application
  • The try-catch block is used to handle any errors that occur

Complete Code

Here's the complete code to get you started with Basecamp and Claude Agent SDK:

import 'dotenv/config';
import readline from 'node:readline';
import { Composio } from '@composio/core';
import { query, type Options } from "@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk";

async function chat() {
  const { COMPOSIO_API_KEY, USER_ID } = process.env;
  if (!COMPOSIO_API_KEY || !USER_ID) {
    throw new Error('COMPOSIO_API_KEY and USER_ID required in .env');
  }

  const composio = new Composio({ apiKey: COMPOSIO_API_KEY });
  const session = await composio.create(USER_ID, {
    toolkits: ['basecamp']
  });
  const mcp_url = session?.mcp.url;

  const options: Options = {
    permissionMode: 'bypassPermissions',
    mcpServers: {
      composio: {
        type: 'http',
        url: mcp_url,
        headers: { 'x-api-key': COMPOSIO_API_KEY }
      }
    },
    systemPrompt: 'You are a helpful assistant with access to Basecamp tools via Composio.',
    maxTurns: 10,
  };

  const rl = readline.createInterface({
    input: process.stdin,
    output: process.stdout,
    prompt: 'You: '
  });

  console.log('\nChat started. Type "exit" to quit.\n');

  let isProcessing = false;

  async function ask(prompt: string) {
    isProcessing = true;
    rl.pause();

    process.stdout.write('Claude is thinking...');
    const stream = query({ prompt, options });

    let firstChunk = true;
    for await (const msg of stream) {
      const content = (msg as any).message?.content || (msg as any).content;
      if (Array.isArray(content)) {
        for (const block of content) {
          if (block.type === 'text' && block.text) {
            if (firstChunk) {
              process.stdout.write('\r\x1b[K');
              process.stdout.write('Claude: ');
              firstChunk = false;
            }
            process.stdout.write(block.text);
          }
        }
      }
    }
    process.stdout.write('\n\n');

    isProcessing = false;
    rl.resume();
    rl.prompt();
  }

  rl.on('line', async (line) => {
    if (isProcessing) return;

    const input = line.trim();
    if (input === 'exit') {
      rl.close();
      process.exit(0);
    }
    if (input) await ask(input);
    else rl.prompt();
  });

  await ask('What can you help me with?');
}

try {
  await chat();
} catch (error) {
  console.error(error);
  process.exit(1);
}

Conclusion

You've successfully built a Claude Agent SDK agent that can interact with Basecamp through Composio's Tool Router.

Key features:

  • Native MCP support through Claude's agent framework
  • Streaming responses for real-time interaction
  • Permission bypass for smooth automated workflows
You can extend this by adding more toolkits, implementing custom business logic, or building a web interface around the agent.
TOOLS

Supported Tools

Every Basecamp action and event your agent gets out of the box.

Complete To-Do

Tool to mark a to-do as completed in Basecamp.

Create Card in Column

Tool to create a new card in a column of a Basecamp card table.

Create Step in Card

Tool to create a step within a card in a Basecamp card table.

Create Chatbot

Tool to create a new chatbot in a Basecamp Campfire chat.

Create Chatbot Line

Tool to post a message as a chatbot to a Basecamp Campfire.

Create Document in Vault

Tool to create a new document in a Basecamp vault.

Create Project from Template

Tool to create a new project from a Basecamp template asynchronously.

Create To-Do List Group

Tool to create a new to-do group within a parent to-do list in Basecamp.

Create Upload in Vault

Tool to create a new upload (file) in a Basecamp vault.

Create a Vault

Tool to create a new vault (folder) within an existing parent vault in a Basecamp project.

Delete Card Table Column On-Hold Section

Tool to remove the on-hold section from a card table column.

Unpin Recording

Tool to unpin a recording (message) in a Basecamp project.

Delete Campfire Line

Tool to delete a Campfire line from a chat conversation.

Delete Chatbot

Tool to delete a chatbot from a Campfire chat.

Delete Message Type

Tool to delete a message type from a Basecamp project.

Delete Webhook

Tool to delete a webhook from a Basecamp project.

Get Cards from Card Table List

Tool to retrieve a paginated list of cards from a card table column.

Get Message Categories

Tool to retrieve all message types (categories) from a Basecamp project.

Get Campfire Chatbot Integrations

Tool to retrieve all chatbot integrations from a Campfire chat.

Get Campfire Lines

Tool to retrieve a paginated list of Campfire lines from a specific chat.

Get Inbox Forwards

Tool to retrieve a paginated list of active email forwards from a project's inbox.

Get Messages from Message Board

Tool to retrieve a paginated list of active messages from a message board in a Basecamp project.

Get Question Answer by ID

Tool to retrieve a specific question answer by ID from a Basecamp project.

Get Questionnaire

Tool to retrieve a specific questionnaire (automatic check-ins) from a Basecamp project.

Get Questions from Questionnaire

Tool to retrieve a paginated list of questions from a questionnaire in a Basecamp project.

Get Question by ID

Tool to retrieve a specific check-in question by ID from a Basecamp project.

Get Recording Events

Tool to retrieve a paginated list of events for a recording.

Get Schedule Entries

Tool to retrieve a paginated list of schedule entries from a schedule.

Get To-do List Groups

Tool to retrieve a paginated list of active groups from a to-do list in a Basecamp project.

Get To-Dos from To-Do List

Tool to retrieve a paginated list of to-dos from a specific to-do list in a Basecamp project.

Get To-Do by ID

Tool to retrieve a specific to-do by ID from a Basecamp project.

Get Todoset To-Do Lists

Tool to retrieve a paginated list of to-do lists within a specific to-do set in a Basecamp project.

Get Upload by ID

Tool to retrieve a specific upload by ID from a Basecamp project vault.

Get Vault from Project

Tool to retrieve a specific vault from a Basecamp project.

Get Documents from Vault

Tool to retrieve a paginated list of active documents from a vault in a Basecamp project.

Get Uploads from Vault

Tool to retrieve a paginated list of active uploads from a vault in a Basecamp project.

Get Vaults from Parent Vault

Tool to retrieve a paginated list of vaults nested within a parent vault in a Basecamp project.

Get Project Webhooks

Tool to retrieve all webhooks configured for a Basecamp project.

Get Campfire

Tool to retrieve a specific Campfire (chat room) by ID from a Basecamp project.

Get Campfire Line

Tool to retrieve a specific Campfire line by ID from a Basecamp project.

Get a specific card by ID

Tool to get a specific card by ID from a card table.

Get card table (Kanban board)

Tool to retrieve a card table (Kanban board) for a project.

Get Card Table Column

Tool to get a specific column from a card table within a Basecamp project.

Get Chatbot by ID

Tool to get a specific chatbot by ID from a Basecamp Campfire chat.

Get Chats

Tool to retrieve a paginated list of all active Campfires (chats) visible to the current user.

Get Circles People

Tool to retrieve all people on this Basecamp account who can be pinged.

Get Comment

Tool to retrieve a specific comment by ID from a Basecamp project.

Get Document by ID

Tool to get a specific document by ID from a Basecamp project bucket.

Get Inbox

Tool to get the inbox (email forwards) for a Basecamp project.

Get Message by ID

Tool to retrieve a specific message by ID from a Basecamp project message board.

Get Message Board

Tool to get the message board for a project.

Get Message Type by ID

Tool to retrieve a specific message type by ID from a Basecamp project.

Get My Profile

Tool to retrieve the current user's personal info including profile details, permissions, and settings.

Get All People

Tool to retrieve all people visible to the current user in the Basecamp account.

Get Person by ID

Tool to retrieve the profile for a specific user by their ID.

Get Project

Tool to retrieve a specific project by its ID with complete details.

Get Projects

Tool to retrieve a paginated list of projects visible to the current user, sorted by most recently created first.

Get Project by ID

Tool to retrieve a single project by its ID with full details including dock tools.

Get Projects People

Tool to retrieve all active people assigned to a Basecamp project.

Get Projects Recordings

Tool to retrieve a paginated list of records for a given type of recording across projects.

Get Timesheet Report

Tool to retrieve all timesheet entries across the Basecamp account within a given timeframe.

Get Schedule for Project

Tool to retrieve schedule details for a specific project.

Get Schedule Entry

Tool to get a specific schedule entry by ID from a Basecamp project.

Get Subscription

Tool to get subscription information for a recording.

Get Templates

Tool to retrieve a paginated list of active templates visible to the current user, sorted by most recently created first.

Get Template by ID

Tool to retrieve a single template by its ID with full details including dock tools.

Get Project Construction Status

Tool to retrieve the status of a project construction from a template.

Get To-Do by ID

Tool to retrieve a specific to-do by ID from a Basecamp project.

Get To-Do List

Tool to retrieve a specific to-do list from a Basecamp project by its ID.

Get To-Do Set

Tool to retrieve a specific to-do set from a Basecamp project.

Get Upload

Tool to get a specific upload by ID from a Basecamp project.

Get Webhook by ID

Tool to retrieve a specific webhook by ID from a Basecamp project.

List Chatbots

Tool to get all chatbots for a chat/campfire.

List Comments

Tool to get all comments on a recording in a Basecamp project.

List Message Types

Tool to retrieve all message types in a Basecamp project.

List Project People

Tool to get all people on a specific Basecamp project.

List To-Do Lists in To-Do Set

Tool to get all to-do lists in a to-do set within a Basecamp project.

List Uploads from Vault

Tool to retrieve all active uploads from a vault in a Basecamp project.

Move Card to Column

Tool to move a card to a different column within a Basecamp card table.

Reorder Card Table Column

Tool to reorder columns within a Basecamp card table.

Pin Message

Tool to pin a message to the top of the message board.

Upload File Attachment

Tool to upload a file to Basecamp system.

Move Card to Column

Tool to move a card to a different column within a Basecamp card table.

Reposition Step in Card

Tool to reposition a step within a card in a Basecamp card table.

Create Card Table Column

Tool to create a column within a Basecamp card table.

Create On-Hold Section in Column

Tool to create an on-hold section in a card table column.

Create Message Category

Tool to create a new message type (category) in a Basecamp project.

Create Campfire Line

Tool to create a line in a Basecamp Campfire chat.

Create Message on Message Board

Tool to publish a message to a Basecamp message board within a project.

Create Comment on Recording

Tool to publish a comment on a recording within a Basecamp project.

Pin Recording

Tool to pin a recording (message) in a Basecamp project.

Subscribe to Recording

Tool to subscribe the current user to a recording for notifications.

Create Schedule Entry

Tool to create a schedule entry in a Basecamp schedule within a project.

Create Comment on To-Do List

Tool to add a comment to a to-do list in a Basecamp project.

Create To-Do in To-Do List

Tool to create a to-do in a Basecamp to-do list within a project.

Comment on To-Do

Tool to add a comment to a to-do in a Basecamp project.

Create To-Do List in To-Do Set

Tool to create a new to-do list in a Basecamp to-do set within a project.

Create Webhook

Tool to create a new webhook subscription for a Basecamp project.

Create Campfire Line via Chatbot

Tool to create a line in a Basecamp Campfire chat using a chatbot key.

Create Lineup Marker

Tool to create an account-wide marker that shows up in the Lineup.

Create New Project

Tool to create a new project in Basecamp with a name and optional description.

Create New Template

Tool to create a new template in Basecamp with a name and optional description.

Update Card Table Column Color

Tool to update a card table column's visual color designation in a Basecamp project.

Update Card Table Step

Tool to update an existing card table step in Basecamp.

Mark Step Completion Status

Tool to mark a card table step as completed or uncompleted in Basecamp.

Update Message Category

Tool to update an existing message type (category) in a Basecamp project.

Update Chatbot Integration

Tool to update an existing chatbot integration in a Basecamp Campfire chat.

Update Comment

Tool to update comment content in a Basecamp project.

Update Document in Bucket

Tool to update an existing document in a Basecamp project bucket.

Update Message

Tool to update a message's subject, content, or category in a Basecamp project.

Update Recording Client Visibility

Tool to update client visibility for a recording in Basecamp.

Unarchive Recording

Tool to unarchive a recording in a Basecamp project by marking it as active.

Archive Recording

Tool to mark a recording as archived in a Basecamp project.

Trash Recording

Tool to mark a recording as trashed in a Basecamp project.

Update Recording Subscription

Tool to update recording subscriptions by adding or removing subscribers.

Update Schedule Entry

Tool to update an existing schedule entry in a Basecamp schedule.

Update Schedule Configuration

Tool to update a schedule configuration in a Basecamp project.

Reposition To-Do List Group

Tool to reposition a to-do list group within its parent to-do list in a Basecamp project.

Update To-Do in Bucket

Tool to update an existing to-do in a Basecamp project.

Reposition To-Do

Tool to change the position of a to-do within its list in a Basecamp project.

Update Upload in Bucket

Tool to update an existing upload in a Basecamp project bucket.

Update Vault Title

Tool to update a vault's title in a Basecamp project.

Update Webhook

Tool to update an existing webhook in a Basecamp project.

Update Project

Tool to update an existing project's name, description, access policy, or schedule in Basecamp.

Grant or Revoke Project Access

Tool to grant or revoke project access for users in Basecamp.

Update Template

Tool to update a template's name and description in Basecamp.

Reposition Card Step

Tool to change the position of a step within a card.

Trash Project

Tool to mark a Basecamp project as trashed.

Trash Template

Tool to mark a template as trashed in Basecamp.

Uncomplete To-Do

Tool to mark a to-do as uncompleted in Basecamp.

Unpin Message

Tool to unpin a message from the message board.

Unsubscribe Current User from Recording

Tool to unsubscribe the current user from a recording.

Stop Watching Card Table Column

Tool to stop watching a card table column.

Update Card

Tool to update a card's details in a Basecamp card table.

Update Card Table Column

Tool to update a card table column's properties in a Basecamp project.

Update Document

Tool to update an existing document's title or content in a Basecamp project.

Update To-Do

Tool to update a to-do's content, assignees, or due date in a Basecamp project.

Update To-Do List

Tool to update a to-do list's name or description in a Basecamp project.

Update Vault Title

Tool to update a vault's title in a Basecamp project.

Validate Credential

Validates Basecamp API credentials by verifying the OAuth token and retrieving authorization details.

Watch Card Table Column

Tool to start watching a card table column in a Basecamp project.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

With a standalone Basecamp MCP server, the agents and LLMs can only access a fixed set of Basecamp tools tied to that server. However, with the Composio Tool Router, agents can dynamically load tools from Basecamp and many other apps based on the task at hand, all through a single MCP endpoint.

Yes, you can. Claude Agent SDK fully supports MCP integration. You get structured tool calling, message history handling, and model orchestration while Tool Router takes care of discovering and serving the right Basecamp tools.

Yes, absolutely. You can configure which Basecamp scopes and actions are allowed when connecting your account to Composio. You can also bring your own OAuth credentials or API configuration so you keep full control over what the agent can do.

All sensitive data such as tokens, keys, and configuration is fully encrypted at rest and in transit. Composio is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant and follows strict security practices so your Basecamp data and credentials are handled as safely as possible.

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