Local Trello-Style Project Manager for OpenClaw Agents

A developer on r/LocalLLaMA has created a local project management tool that mimics Trello functionality for use with OpenClaw AI agents. The system was built specifically to avoid connecting the AI agent to external services due to security concerns about client project data.

Technical Implementation

The tool runs on the same machine as the OpenClaw agent (described as "an old laptop") and is accessible only on the local network. The developer uses Telegram to notify their agent when new cards are ready for processing.

Tech Stack

• Node.js + Express (API server + static file serving)
• React + react-trello (Kanban UI with drag and drop)
• Markdown files with YAML frontmatter (data layer — no database)
• gray-matter (frontmatter parsing)
• multer (image uploads)
• nanoid (unique card ID generation)
• lucide-react (icons)

How It Works

Each project card is stored as a .md file on disk. The Express server reads and writes these files via a REST API, which the React frontend consumes. The OpenClaw agent bypasses the API entirely and reads/writes card files directly on the filesystem. Images are stored in a local directory and served through the API with token authentication.

The system supports creating cards, checklists, uploading images, and adding comments — described as "all the Trello basics." The developer reports that their agent has successfully created its own cards, managed priorities, and handled checklists.

The developer is considering whether to spend more time building out the tool and making it available to others, currently keeping it in a private repository.