Basecamp Project Management

---
name: basecamp-project-management
description: "Basecamp API integration with managed OAuth. Manage projects, to-dos, messages, schedules, documents, and team collaboration. Use this skill when users want to create and manage projects, to-do lists, schedule events, or collaborate with teams in Basecamp. For other third party…"
category: "Integrations"
author: community
version: "1.0.2"
icon: plug
---

# Basecamp

Access the Basecamp 4 API with managed OAuth authentication. Manage projects, to-dos, messages, schedules, documents, and team collaboration.

## Quick Start

```bash
# List all projects
python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://gateway.maton.ai/basecamp/projects.json')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF
```

## Base URL

```
https://gateway.maton.ai/basecamp/{resource}.json
```

The gateway proxies requests to `3.basecampapi.com/{account_id}/` and automatically injects your OAuth token and account ID.

**Important:** All Basecamp API URLs must end with `.json`.

## Authentication

All requests require the Maton API key in the Authorization header:

```
Authorization: Bearer $MATON_API_KEY
```

**Environment Variable:** Set your API key as `MATON_API_KEY`:

```bash
export MATON_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"
```

### Getting Your API Key

1. Sign in or create an account at [maton.ai](https://maton.ai)
2. Go to [maton.ai/settings](https://maton.ai/settings)
3. Copy your API key

## Connection Management

Manage your Basecamp OAuth connections at `https://ctrl.maton.ai`.

### List Connections

```bash
python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://ctrl.maton.ai/connections?app=basecamp&status=ACTIVE')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF
```

### Create Connection

```bash
python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
data = json.dumps({'app': 'basecamp'}).encode()
req = urllib.request.Request('https://ctrl.maton.ai/connections', data=data, method='POST')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
req.add_header('Content-Type', 'application/json')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF
```

### Get Connection

```bash
python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://ctrl.maton.ai/connections/{connection_id}')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF
```

**Response:**
```json
{
  "connection": {
    "connection_id": "71e313c8-9100-48c6-8ea1-6323f6fafd04",
    "status": "ACTIVE",
    "creation_time": "2026-02-08T03:12:39.815086Z",
    "last_updated_time": "2026-02-08T03:12:59.259878Z",
    "url": "https://connect.maton.ai/?session_token=...",
    "app": "basecamp",
    "metadata": {}
  }
}
```

Open the returned `url` in a browser to complete OAuth authorization.

### Delete Connection

```bash
python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://ctrl.maton.ai/connections/{connection_id}', method='DELETE')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF
```

### Specifying Connection

If you have multiple Basecamp connections, specify which one to use with the `Maton-Connection` header:

```bash
python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://gateway.maton.ai/basecamp/projects.json')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
req.add_header('Maton-Connection', '71e313c8-9100-48c6-8ea1-6323f6fafd04')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF
```

If omitted, the gateway uses the default (oldest) active connection.

## API Reference

### User Info

#### Get Current User

```bash
GET /basecamp/my/profile.json
```

**Response:**
```json
{
  "id": 51197030,
  "name": "Chris Kim",
  "email_address": "chris@example.com",
  "admin": true,
  "owner": true,
  "time_zone": "America/Los_Angeles",
  "avatar_url": "https://..."
}
```

### People Operations

#### List People

```bash
GET /basecamp/people.json
```

**Response:**
```json
[
  {
    "id": 51197030,
    "name": "Chris Kim",
    "email_address": "chris@example.com",
    "admin": true,
    "owner": true,
    "employee": true,
    "time_zone": "America/Los_Angeles"
  }
]
```

#### Get Person

```bash
GET /basecamp/people/{person_id}.json
```

#### List Project Members

```bash
GET /basecamp/projects/{project_id}/people.json
```

### Project Operations

#### List Projects

```bash
GET /basecamp/projects.json
```

**Response:**
```json
[
  {
    "id": 46005636,
    "status": "active",
    "name": "Getting Started",
    "description": "Quickly get up to speed with everything Basecamp",
    "created_at": "2026-02-05T22:59:26.087Z",
    "url": "https://3.basecampapi.com/6153810/projects/46005636.json",
    "dock": [...]
  }
]
```

#### Get Project

```bash
GET /basecamp/projects/{project_id}.json
```

The project response includes a `dock` array with available tools (message_board, todoset, vault, chat, schedule, etc.). Each dock item has:
- `id`: The tool's ID
- `name`: Tool type (e.g., "todoset", "message_board")
- `enabled`: Whether the tool is active
- `url`: Direct URL to access the tool

#### Create Project

```bash
POST /basecamp/projects.json
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "New Project",
  "description": "Project description"
}
```

#### Update Project

```bash
PUT /basecamp/projects/{project_id}.json
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "Updated Project Name",
  "description": "Updated description"
}
```

#### Delete (Trash) Project

```bash
DELETE /basecamp/projects/{project_id}.json
```

### To-Do Operations

#### Get Todoset

First, get the todoset ID from the project's dock:

```bash
GET /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/todosets/{todoset_id}.json
```

#### List Todolists

```bash
GET /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/todosets/{todoset_id}/todolists.json
```

**Response:**
```json
[
  {
    "id": 9550474442,
    "title": "Basecamp essentials",
    "description": "",
    "completed": false,
    "completed_ratio": "0/5",
    "url": "https://..."
  }
]
```

#### Create Todolist

```bash
POST /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/todosets/{todoset_id}/todolists.json
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "New Todo List",
  "description": "List description"
}
```

#### Get Todolist

```bash
GET /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/todolists/{todolist_id}.json
```

#### List Todos

```bash
GET /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/todolists/{todolist_id}/todos.json
```

**Response:**
```json
[
  {
    "id": 9550474446,
    "content": "Start here",
    "description": "",
    "completed": false,
    "due_on": null,
    "assignees": []
  }
]
```

#### Create Todo

```bash
POST /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/todolists/{todolist_id}/todos.json
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "content": "New todo item",
  "description": "Todo description",
  "due_on": "2026-02-15",
  "assignee_ids": [51197030]
}
```

**Response:**
```json
{
  "id": 9555973289,
  "content": "New todo item",
  "completed": false
}
```

#### Update Todo

```bash
PUT /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/todos/{todo_id}.json
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "content": "Updated todo",
  "description": "Updated description"
}
```

#### Complete Todo

```bash
POST /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/todos/{todo_id}/completion.json
```

Returns 204 on success.

#### Uncomplete Todo

```bash
DELETE /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/todos/{todo_id}/completion.json
```

### Message Board Operations

#### Get Message Board

```bash
GET /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/message_boards/{message_board_id}.json
```

#### List Messages

```bash
GET /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/message_boards/{message_board_id}/messages.json
```

#### Create Message

```bash
POST /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/message_boards/{message_board_id}/messages.json
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "subject": "Message Subject",
  "content": "<p>Message body with HTML</p>",
  "category_id": 123
}
```

#### Get Message

```bash
GET /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/messages/{message_id}.json
```

#### Update Message

```bash
PUT /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/messages/{message_id}.json
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "subject": "Updated Subject",
  "content": "<p>Updated content</p>"
}
```

### Schedule Operations

#### Get Schedule

```bash
GET /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/schedules/{schedule_id}.json
```

#### List Schedule Entries

```bash
GET /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/schedules/{schedule_id}/entries.json
```

#### Create Schedule Entry

```bash
POST /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/schedules/{schedule_id}/entries.json
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "summary": "Team Meeting",
  "description": "Weekly sync",
  "starts_at": "2026-02-15T14:00:00Z",
  "ends_at": "2026-02-15T15:00:00Z",
  "all_day": false,
  "participant_ids": [51197030]
}
```

#### Update Schedule Entry

```bash
PUT /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/schedule_entries/{entry_id}.json
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "summary": "Updated Meeting",
  "starts_at": "2026-02-15T15:00:00Z",
  "ends_at": "2026-02-15T16:00:00Z"
}
```

### Vault (Documents & Files) Operations

#### Get Vault

```bash
GET /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/vaults/{vault_id}.json
```

#### List Documents in Vault

```bash
GET /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/vaults/{vault_id}/documents.json
```

#### Create Document

```bash
POST /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/vaults/{vault_id}/documents.json
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "title": "Document Title",
  "content": "<p>Document content with HTML</p>"
}
```

#### List Uploads in Vault

```bash
GET /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/vaults/{vault_id}/uploads.json
```

### Campfire (Chat) Operations

#### List All Campfires

```bash
GET /basecamp/chats.json
```

#### Get Campfire

```bash
GET /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/chats/{chat_id}.json
```

#### List Campfire Lines (Messages)

```bash
GET /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/chats/{chat_id}/lines.json
```

#### Create Campfire Line

```bash
POST /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/chats/{chat_id}/lines.json
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "content": "Hello from the API!"
}
```

### Comments Operations

#### List Comments on Recording

```bash
GET /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/recordings/{recording_id}/comments.json
```

#### Create Comment

```bash
POST /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/recordings/{recording_id}/comments.json
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "content": "<p>Comment text</p>"
}
```

### Recording Status Operations

All content items (todos, messages, documents, etc.) are "recordings" that can be archived or trashed.

#### Trash Recording

```bash
PUT /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/recordings/{recording_id}/status/trashed.json
```

#### Archive Recording

```bash
PUT /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/recordings/{recording_id}/status/archived.json
```

#### Unarchive Recording

```bash
PUT /basecamp/buckets/{project_id}/recordings/{recording_id}/status/active.json
```

### Templates Operations

#### List Templates

```bash
GET /basecamp/templates.json
```

#### Create Project from Template

```bash
POST /basecamp/templates/{template_id}/project_constructions.json
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "New Project from Template",
  "description": "Description"
}
```

## Pagination

Basecamp uses Link header pagination with `rel="next"`:

**Response Headers:**
```
Link: <https://3.basecampapi.com/.../page=2>; rel="next"
X-Total-Count: 150
```

Follow the `Link` header URL for the next page. When `next` is absent, you've reached the last page.

**Important:** Do not construct pagination URLs manually. Always use the URL provided in the `Link` header.

## Key Concepts

### Buckets and Projects

A "bucket" is a project's content container. The bucket ID is the same as the project ID in URLs:

```
/buckets/{project_id}/todosets/{todoset_id}.json
```

### Dock

Each project has a "dock" containing available tools. Always check that a tool is `enabled: true` before using it:

```json
{
  "dock": [
    {"name": "todoset", "id": 123, "enabled": true},
    {"name": "message_board", "id": 456, "enabled": false}
  ]
}
```

### Recordings

All content items (todos, messages, documents, comments, etc.) are "recordings" with:
- `status`: "active", "archived", or "trashed"
- `parent`: navigation to container
- Unique IDs that can be used across endpoints

## Code Examples

### JavaScript

```javascript
const response = await fetch(
  'https://gateway.maton.ai/basecamp/projects.json',
  {
    headers: {
      'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.MATON_API_KEY}`
    }
  }
);
const projects = await response.json();
```

### Python

```python
import os
import requests

response = requests.get(
    'https://gateway.maton.ai/basecamp/projects.json',
    headers={'Authorization': f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}'}
)
projects = response.json()
```

## Notes

- All API paths must end with `.json`
- The gateway automatically injects the account ID
- Uses Basecamp 4 API (bc3-api)
- Timestamps are in ISO 8601 format
- HTML content uses `<div>`, `<p>`, `<strong>`, `<em>`, `<a>`, `<ul>`, `<ol>`, `<li>` tags
- Rate limit: ~50 requests per 10 seconds per IP
- IMPORTANT: When piping curl output to `jq` or other commands, environment variables like `$MATON_API_KEY` may not expand correctly in some shell environments

## Error Handling

| Status | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| 400 | Missing Basecamp connection or bad request |
| 401 | Invalid or missing Maton API key |
| 404 | Resource not found, deleted, or no access |
| 429 | Rate limited (check Retry-After header) |
| 507 | Account limit reached (e.g., project limit) |
| 5xx | Server error (retry with exponential backoff) |

### Troubleshooting: API Key Issues

1. Check that the `MATON_API_KEY` environment variable is set:

```bash
echo $MATON_API_KEY
```

2. Verify the API key is valid by listing connections:

```bash
python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://ctrl.maton.ai/connections')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF
```

### Troubleshooting: Invalid App Name

1. Ensure your URL path starts with `basecamp`. For example:

- Correct: `https://gateway.maton.ai/basecamp/projects.json`
- Incorrect: `https://gateway.maton.ai/projects.json`

## Resources

- [Basecamp 4 API Documentation](https://github.com/basecamp/bc3-api)
- [Authentication Guide](https://github.com/basecamp/bc3-api/blob/master/sections/authentication.md)
- [API Reference](https://github.com/basecamp/bc3-api#endpoints)
- [Maton Community](https://discord.com/invite/dBfFAcefs2)
- [Maton Support](mailto:support@maton.ai)