# Task ID: 42
# Title: Implement MCP-to-MCP Communication Protocol
# Status: pending
# Dependencies: None
# Priority: medium
# Description: Design and implement a communication protocol that allows Taskmaster to interact with external MCP (Model Context Protocol) tools and servers, enabling programmatic operations across these tools without requiring custom integration code. The system should dynamically connect to MCP servers chosen by the user for task storage and management (e.g., GitHub-MCP or Postgres-MCP). This eliminates the need for separate APIs or SDKs for each service. The goal is to create a standardized, agnostic system that facilitates seamless task execution and interaction with external systems. Additionally, the system should support two operational modes: **solo/local mode**, where tasks are managed locally using a `tasks.json` file, and **multiplayer/remote mode**, where tasks are managed via external MCP integrations. The core modules of Taskmaster should dynamically adapt their operations based on the selected mode, with multiplayer/remote mode leveraging MCP servers for all task management operations.
# Details:
This task involves creating a standardized way for Taskmaster to communicate with external MCP implementations and tools. The implementation should:

1. Define a standard protocol for communication with MCP servers, including authentication, request/response formats, and error handling.
2. Leverage the existing `fastmcp` server logic to enable interaction with external MCP tools programmatically, focusing on creating a modular and reusable system.
3. Implement an adapter pattern that allows Taskmaster to connect to any MCP-compliant tool or server.
4. Build a client module capable of discovering, connecting to, and exchanging data with external MCP tools, ensuring compatibility with various implementations.
5. Provide a reference implementation for interacting with a specific MCP tool (e.g., GitHub-MCP or Postgres-MCP) to demonstrate the protocol's functionality.
6. Ensure the protocol supports versioning to maintain compatibility as MCP tools evolve.
7. Implement rate limiting and backoff strategies to prevent overwhelming external MCP tools.
8. Create a configuration system that allows users to specify connection details for external MCP tools and servers.
9. Add support for two operational modes:
   - **Solo/Local Mode**: Tasks are managed locally using a `tasks.json` file.
   - **Multiplayer/Remote Mode**: Tasks are managed via external MCP integrations (e.g., GitHub-MCP or Postgres-MCP). The system should dynamically switch between these modes based on user configuration.
10. Update core modules to perform task operations on the appropriate system (local or remote) based on the selected mode, with remote mode relying entirely on MCP servers for task management.
11. Document the protocol thoroughly to enable other developers to implement it in their MCP tools.

The implementation should prioritize asynchronous communication where appropriate and handle network failures gracefully. Security considerations, including encryption and robust authentication mechanisms, should be integral to the design.

# Test Strategy:
Testing should verify both the protocol design and implementation:

1. Unit tests for the adapter pattern, ensuring it correctly translates between Taskmaster's internal models and the MCP protocol.
2. Integration tests with a mock MCP tool or server to validate the full request/response cycle.
3. Specific tests for the reference implementation (e.g., GitHub-MCP or Postgres-MCP), including authentication flows.
4. Error handling tests that simulate network failures, timeouts, and malformed responses.
5. Performance tests to ensure the communication does not introduce significant latency.
6. Security tests to verify that authentication and encryption mechanisms are functioning correctly.
7. End-to-end tests demonstrating Taskmaster's ability to programmatically interact with external MCP tools and execute tasks.
8. Compatibility tests with different versions of the protocol to ensure backward compatibility.
9. Tests for mode switching:
   - Validate that Taskmaster correctly operates in solo/local mode using the `tasks.json` file.
   - Validate that Taskmaster correctly operates in multiplayer/remote mode with external MCP integrations (e.g., GitHub-MCP or Postgres-MCP).
   - Ensure seamless switching between modes without data loss or corruption.
10. A test harness should be created to simulate an MCP tool or server for testing purposes without relying on external dependencies. Test cases should be documented thoroughly to serve as examples for other implementations.

# Subtasks:
## 42-1. Define MCP-to-MCP communication protocol [pending]
### Dependencies: None
### Description: 
### Details:


## 42-2. Implement adapter pattern for MCP integration [pending]
### Dependencies: None
### Description: 
### Details:


## 42-3. Develop client module for MCP tool discovery and interaction [pending]
### Dependencies: None
### Description: 
### Details:


## 42-4. Provide reference implementation for GitHub-MCP integration [pending]
### Dependencies: None
### Description: 
### Details:


## 42-5. Add support for solo/local and multiplayer/remote modes [pending]
### Dependencies: None
### Description: 
### Details:


## 42-6. Update core modules to support dynamic mode-based operations [pending]
### Dependencies: None
### Description: 
### Details:


## 42-7. Document protocol and mode-switching functionality [pending]
### Dependencies: None
### Description: 
### Details:


## 42-8. Update terminology to reflect MCP server-based communication [pending]
### Dependencies: None
### Description: 
### Details:


