Build with Hilla.

Hilla is an AI co-founder that turns one sentence into a full visual project board. Plan, build, track, and ship on the same surface. You can interact with Hilla through the web app, CLI, or any AI tool that supports the Model Context Protocol.

The primary surface is the web canvas at hilla.ai. This documentation also covers the MCP server for AI-native integrations, the REST API for programmatic access, and the CLI for power-user terminal workflows.

Go to hilla.ai and describe what you want to build. Hilla asks a few clarifying questions, then generates a full spatial board with cards, tasks, dependencies, and sprint plans in about 30 seconds.

From there, work directly on the canvas: drag cards, edit tasks, embed live widgets from your stack (Vercel, Stripe, PostHog, Sentry), and share the board with collaborators. The canvas is the primary surface for planning and tracking.

For AI-native workflows, connect an MCP-compatible assistant (see below). For terminal scripting, install the CLI.

The Model Context Protocol is an open standard that lets AI tools connect to external services. Hilla runs an MCP server so your AI assistant can create, read, and manage cards on your board directly, without switching context.

When you connect Hilla via MCP, your AI tool gains access to your project boards, tasks, and sprint plans. It can suggest tasks, update progress, and even execute work on your behalf.

Hilla runs a remote MCP server over HTTP/SSE. No local process needed. Generate an API token in Settings → API Tokens (tokens start with play_), then add the server to your AI tool's config file.

For Claude Desktop, add to claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "hilla": {
      "type": "sse",
      "url": "https://api.hilla.ai/functions/v1/mcp-server",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer play_YOUR_TOKEN_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

For Cursor, Windsurf, or Cline, add to .cursor/mcp.json (or the equivalent for your editor):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "hilla": {
      "type": "sse",
      "url": "https://api.hilla.ai/functions/v1/mcp-server",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer play_YOUR_TOKEN_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

For full setup guides including ChatGPT and claude.ai, see /docs/mcp.

The MCP server exposes these tools to connected AI clients. Each tool maps to a Hilla board operation.

For the full reference including credit costs, see /docs/mcp.

Any AI tool that implements the Model Context Protocol can connect to Hilla. These clients have been tested and confirmed working:

The CLI is a power-user companion for developers who want to script, pipe, and automate board operations from the terminal. The web canvas is the primary surface; the CLI extends it.

Every command supports --json output for scripting and automation. Use hilla help <command> for detailed usage.

Install the Hilla CLI globally via npm. Requires Node.js 18 or later.

$ npm install -g @hilla/cli

$ hilla --version
hilla/1.0.0

Authenticate with your Hilla account:

$ hilla auth login
→ Opening browser for authentication...
✓ Authenticated as you@example.com

Chain commands with standard Unix pipes:

$ hilla export --json | jq '.tasks[] | select(.sprint == 1)'

The CLI stores configuration in ~/.hilla/config.json. You can edit it directly or use hilla config to update values.

All API requests require a bearer token. Generate one from your account settings or via the CLI.

$ hilla auth token
→ Your API token: hilla_sk_...

# Use in requests:
$ curl -H "Authorization: Bearer hilla_sk_..." \
    https://api.hilla.ai/v1/projects

Tokens don't expire but can be revoked from your account settings at any time.

Create and manage project boards programmatically.

$ curl -X POST https://api.hilla.ai/v1/projects \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer hilla_sk_..." \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -d '{"prompt": "Build a SaaS for restaurant analytics"}'

{
  "id": "proj_rest_analytics",
  "name": "Restaurant Analytics SaaS",
  "tasks": 47,
  "sprints": 3,
  "url": "https://hilla.ai/b/rest-analytics"
}

Read and manage individual task cards on a project board.

$ curl https://api.hilla.ai/v1/projects/proj_rest_analytics/tasks?sprint=1 \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer hilla_sk_..."

{
  "tasks": [
    {
      "id": "task_001",
      "title": "Auth system (OAuth + magic link)",
      "sprint": 1,
      "status": "todo",
      "dependencies": []
    },
    ...
  ]
}