Casefile vs ProductBrain
A side-by-side look at the Casefile and ProductBrain MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
P
ProductBrainProduct Management · Local subprocess (stdio)Drive your ProductBrain product plan (goals, needs, bets, jobs) from any MCP client.56GoodAuth: api key requiredVerdict: choose Casefile for product management work over a hosted endpoint; choose ProductBrain for product management as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Casefile when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Product Management domain.
- You prefer a remote HTTP/SSE transport.
- You want tools like
get_task, search_tasks, create_task.
PChoose ProductBrain when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Product Management domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: API key required.
- You have the keys it needs:
PRODUCTBRAIN_API_KEY, PRODUCTBRAIN_PROJECT_ID, PRODUCTBRAIN_API_URL. - You want tools like
search, list_nodes, get_tree.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | P ProductBrain | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Product Management | Product Management |
| Quality signal | 53/100 · Good | 56/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Remote HTTP/SSE | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | Not declared | API key required |
| Pricing | Not declared | BYOK (pay the provider) |
| Required env vars | None listed | PRODUCTBRAIN_API_KEYPRODUCTBRAIN_PROJECT_IDPRODUCTBRAIN_API_URL |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 6 | 0 |
| Directory activity | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 32 | 26 |
| Full listing | View Casefile | View ProductBrain |
Tools & capabilities
Casefile tools 32
get_taskreturns everything about one task in a single call: card, parent and children, links, computed features, latest summary, open questions, unresolved remarks, its discussions, case index and transition targetssearch_taskssearches tasks by a query-language string, by separate conditions, or by bothcreate_taskcreates a task in `backlog` in an area of its project (`area_required` without one), optionally as a child of a parent taskupdate_taskchanges the given fields of a task; fields left out stay as they aretransitionmoves a task to another status along the fixed transition tableclose_taskcloses a task: files entries, verdicts and the final summary and moves it to `done`, in one transactionmove_taskmoves a task, or each task of a list with an outcome per key, to another project with a reason; its previous key keeps leading to itread_entriesreturns entry bodies of one task's case, with payload, in number orderadd_summaryfiles a summary: the handover note of a case, in four partsadd_entryfiles an entry without payload: a decision, attempt, finding, artifact, remark or noteaskfiles a question to registry participants in a discussion; asked about a task, it opens the discussion and attaches the task in the same callansweranswers a question of a discussion or of a task's case, or closes one still unanswered as `withdrawn` or `replaced` by a later question, with a reason; an answered question cannot be withdrawn- +20 more on the listing page
ProductBrain tools 26
searchSemantic search — **use first** for any lookuplist_nodesBulk read, optional type/iteration filterget_treeA node in context (ancestors/siblings/children/subtree)mutateCreate/update/delete nodes + phases; pass `idempotencyKey` to make retries safelist_iterationsPhases; `current:true` for the active onerun_workflowStory-Mapping methodology (add / task-curate / phase-assign)export_okfThe plan as a portable OKF file bundleget_changelogPlan history: every add/update/delete/restore, attributed to the app or a named agentset_viewDrive / read the live canvaslist_projectsProjects you own or are a member of; `includeArchived` for the restcreate_projectBootstrap a brain — seeds the system "Later" phase. Pass an explicit `id`: `addProject` runs before mutate reads `Idempotency-Key`, so it is not retry-saferename_projectChange the display name; the id is immutable- +14 more on the listing page
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
Casefile
{
"mcpServers": {
"casefile": {
"url": "http://localhost:8100/mcp"
}
}
}
ProductBrain
{
"mcpServers": {
"productbrain": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@productbrain-com/mcp"
],
"env": {
"PRODUCTBRAIN_API_KEY": "YOUR_PRODUCTBRAIN_API_KEY_HERE",
"PRODUCTBRAIN_PROJECT_ID": "YOUR_PRODUCTBRAIN_PROJECT_ID_HERE",
"PRODUCTBRAIN_API_URL": "YOUR_PRODUCTBRAIN_API_URL_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Casefile is categorized under Product Management and uses a remote HTTP/SSE transport. ProductBrain belongs to Product Management and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Casefile for product management work and ProductBrain for product management.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
Casefile has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. ProductBrain is bring-your-own-key: usage is billed by the API provider you supply a key for. Auth: api key required. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add casefile and productbrain as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Casefile has a quality signal of 53/100 (Good) with 0 views, 0 installs and 6 GitHub stars. ProductBrain has 56/100 (Good) with 0 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars.