ContextSwitch Documentation
Complete guide to your native macOS kanban app
Getting Started
ContextSwitch is a native macOS kanban application designed for managing multiple projects simultaneously. Each project is stored in its own SQLite database file, allowing you to organize work, personal, and side projects separately while maintaining a unified view when needed.
First Launch
When you first open ContextSwitch, you'll be prompted to create or open a database file. The app supports multiple databases open simultaneously, each representing a different project or context.
Core Concepts
Multi-Database Architecture
Unlike traditional todo apps, ContextSwitch uses multiple .db files to organize your work:
- Work Database - Professional projects and tasks
- Personal Database - Home projects and personal todos
- Side Projects - Creative endeavors and experiments
- Client Work - Separate databases for different clients
Kanban Workflow
Each database contains a kanban board with customizable swimlanes. Default setup includes:
- Backlog - Ideas and future tasks
- Todo - Ready to start
- In Progress - Currently working on
- Done - Completed tasks
Core Features
Database Management
📂 Creating a New Database
Use ⌘N or File → New Database to create a new project database. Choose a descriptive name and location.
📁 Opening Existing Databases
Use ⌘O or File → Open Database to add existing .db files to your workspace. Recently accessed databases appear in the File menu.
🔄 Switching Between Databases
Use the sidebar to switch between open databases or ⌘1, ⌘2, etc. to switch directly.
Todo Management
Create Todos
Click the + button in any swimlane or use ⌘T for quick todo creation.
Set Priorities
High (red), Medium (yellow), Low (gray) with visual indicators throughout the interface.
Add Due Dates
Set deadlines with overdue warnings and calendar integration.
Tag Organization
Use tags like #bug, #feature, #urgent for filtering and organization.
Drag & Drop Operations
ContextSwitch supports extensive drag and drop functionality:
- Between Swimlanes - Drag todos to change status (Backlog → Todo → In Progress → Done)
- Between Databases - Move todos from one project to another
- Priority Changes - Drop todos on priority indicators to change urgency
- Reordering - Drag within swimlanes to prioritize order
Timeline View
The unified timeline shows all upcoming todos across all open databases:
- Chronological Order - See what's due when
- Overdue Warnings - Red highlighting for missed deadlines
- Database Context - See which project each todo belongs to
- Quick Actions - Mark complete or reschedule directly from timeline
Global Search
Search across all open databases simultaneously:
- Full-Text Search - Find todos by title, description, or tags
- Filter by Database - Scope search to specific projects
- Tag Filtering - Show only todos with specific tags
- Priority Filtering - Filter by urgency level
- Date Filtering - Find overdue, today, this week, etc.
AI Integration (MCP)
ContextSwitch includes powerful AI integration through the Model Context Protocol (MCP), allowing AI assistants to manage your todos through natural language.
Setup with Claude Desktop
Add this configuration to your Claude Desktop config file:
{
"mcpServers": {
"contextswitch": {
"command": "/Applications/ContextSwitch.app/Contents/MacOS/contextswitch-mcp"
}
}
}
Configuration file location:
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
AI Commands You Can Use
"List all my todos"
Show todos from the first available database
"Add todo: Review PR #123"
Create a new todo with the specified title
"Mark todo 5 as done"
Complete a specific todo by ID
"Show todos from work database"
List todos from a specific database
"Add high priority todo: Fix login bug"
Create todo with specific priority level
"Search for todos containing 'meeting'"
Find todos across all databases
"Show overdue todos"
Filter by due date status
"Move todo 3 to done"
Change todo status/swimlane
Multi-Database AI Operations
The AI can work with multiple databases simultaneously:
- Database Discovery - Automatically finds all open databases
- Cross-Database Search - Search across all projects at once
- Database-Specific Operations - Target specific projects by name
- Intelligent Defaults - Uses first database when none specified
Data Management
Database Files
Each ContextSwitch database is a standard SQLite file:
- Portable - Move files between Macs easily
- Backup-Friendly - Copy files for simple backups
- Version Control - Store project databases in Git repositories
- Shareable - Email or share databases with teammates
Import & Export
- JSON Export - Machine-readable format for automation and backup
- Database Migration - Move between ContextSwitch installations
Security & Privacy
- Local Storage - All data stays on your Mac
- No Cloud Sync - Control your own data synchronization
- File Permissions - Protected by macOS file system security
- App Sandboxing - Runs in secure macOS sandbox
Tips & Best Practices
Database Organization
- Separate Contexts - Create databases for different areas of life
- Client Work - Use separate databases for different clients
- Time Periods - Create quarterly or project-specific databases
- Team Collaboration - Share databases via cloud storage for team access
Workflow Optimization
- Regular Reviews - Use timeline view for daily planning
- Tag Consistency - Develop consistent tagging conventions
- Priority Discipline - Limit high-priority items to stay focused
- Archive Completed - Move done items to separate archive databases
AI Assistant Integration
- Natural Language - Use conversational commands with AI
- Batch Operations - Ask AI to perform multiple actions at once
- Context Switching - Let AI help you switch between project contexts
- Weekly Reviews - Use AI to analyze your productivity patterns
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
🔧 Database Won't Open
Check file permissions and ensure the .db file isn't corrupted. Try opening with a SQLite browser to verify integrity.
🔧 AI Integration Not Working
Verify Claude Desktop configuration and ensure the MCP server path is correct. Restart Claude Desktop after configuration changes.
🔧 Drag & Drop Issues
Make sure you're dragging to valid drop targets. Check that the destination database is open and accessible.
🔧 Performance Problems
Close unused databases to improve performance. Consider archiving completed todos to separate databases.