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Quick Start
This guide walks you through the basics of kendo: creating a project, adding issues to the board, and running your first sprint.
1. Create a Project
After logging in, create a new project from the dashboard. Each project needs:
- Name — A descriptive name for your project
- Code — A short prefix for issue keys (e.g.,
KDproduces issues likeKD-1,KD-2)
The project code is used across the board, in branch names, and in MCP tool references.
2. Configure Board Lanes
Every project starts with a default Kanban board. Customize the lanes to match your workflow:
- Backlog — Issues waiting to be picked up
- In Progress — Work currently being done
- Review — Ready for code review
- Done — Completed work
You can add, rename, reorder, and remove lanes at any time from the project settings. Each lane can also have GitHub triggers configured — for example, automatically moving an issue to "Review" when a pull request is opened.
3. Create Issues
Issues are the core unit of work in kendo. Each issue has:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | Short description of the work |
| Description | Detailed explanation (Markdown supported) |
| Type | Feature or Bug |
| Priority | Low, Medium, High, or Critical |
| Assignee | Team member responsible |
| Sprint | Optional sprint assignment |
| Epic | Optional epic grouping |
Create issues from the board view or the backlog. Drag them between lanes to update their status.
Blocking Relationships
Issues can block or be blocked by other issues. This helps your team understand dependencies and prioritize work that unblocks others.
4. Invite Your Team
Add team members from the user management section. Each user gets a role:
| Role | Permissions |
|---|---|
| Admin | Full access — manage projects, users, settings |
| Developer | Create and manage issues, log time, manage sprints |
| Viewer | Read-only access to boards and issues |
5. Run a Sprint
- Create a sprint from the sprint management view
- Assign issues to the sprint during planning
- Activate the sprint to start tracking progress
- Complete the sprint when the timebox ends — unfinished issues stay in the backlog
See the Sprints guide for detailed sprint workflows.
6. Connect GitHub
Link your GitHub repositories to enable branch tracking, PR status updates, and automated lane transitions. See the GitHub integration guide for setup instructions.
7. Use MCP Tools
If you use Claude Code, Cursor, or another MCP-compatible AI assistant, connect kendo as an MCP server to manage issues directly from your terminal:
bash
# Example: create an issue via MCP
"Create a bug issue in project KD: Login form does not validate email format"The AI assistant can create issues, move them between lanes, log time, manage sprints, and more — all through natural language. See the MCP documentation for the full list of MCP tools.
What's Next
- Projects — Project settings, teams, and access control
- Issues & Board — Deep dive into issue management
- Sprints — Sprint planning and completion workflows
- Time Tracking — Log and export time entries