Introduction: The Daily Productivity Struggle
Every morning, I face the same overwhelming routine: checking messages across multiple apps, scanning through emails, reviewing my notes for today's tasks, and trying to remember what meetings I have scheduled. Sound familiar?
As a busy professional juggling AWS projects, family responsibilities, and personal tasks, I needed a solution that could aggregate all this information in one place. That's when I discovered the power of combining Amazon Q Developer CLI
with Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers to create a personalized productivity assistant.
The Solution: MCP-Powered Automation
Using Q Developer CLI, I built an automation solution that:
• ✅ Summarizes important messages requiring responses
• ✅ Extracts today's action items from my notes
• ✅ Identifies priority emails needing attention
• ✅ Lists today's reminders and meetings
• ✅ Presents everything in a clean, actionable dashboard
Step 1: Setting Up the Foundation with Q Developer
First, I fired up Q Developer CLI and asked it to help me set up the necessary infrastructure:
q chat "Help me install Bun package manager and set up Apple MCP server for productivity automation "apple-mcp": { "command": "bunx", "args": ["@dhravya/apple-mcp@latest"] } " Q Developer guided me through the installation process, explaining each step and potential issues I might encounter.
Installing Bun Package Manager
Q Developer CLI installed Bun using Homebrew and even verified the installation:
brew install oven-sh/bun/bun bun --version Step 2: Configuring Apple MCP Server
The magic happens with the Apple MCP server, which provides seamless integration with macOS applications. Q Developer CLI with its Agentic capabilities automatically located and configured the MCP configuration file with the Apple MCP server:
Location: ~/.aws/amazonq/mcp.json
Configuration added:
{ "mcpServers": { "apple-mcp": { "command": "bunx", "args": ["@dhravya/apple-mcp@latest"] } } } Step 3: Building the Automation Workflow
With Q Developer CLI's assistance, I created a comprehensive morning briefing system. Here's how Q Developer CLI helped me structure the automation:
The Morning Briefing Prompt
Create my daily productivity briefing:
-
Messages Requiring Response:
- Check Apple Messages for unread messages from the last 24 hours
- Identify messages that seem to require a response
- Summarize the key points and urgency level
-
Today's Action Items:
- Scan Apple Notes for any items marked for today
- Extract TODO items and tasks with today's date
- Prioritize by urgency and importance
-
Email Priority List:
- Review unread emails from the last 24 hours
- Filter out promotional/spam content
- Highlight emails requiring immediate attention
-
Today's Schedule:
- List today's reminders from Apple Reminders
- Show upcoming calendar events and meetings
- Flag any scheduling conflicts or preparation needed
Format this as a clean, actionable briefing I can review in 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: The Results - A Game-Changing Morning Routine
Here's what my automated morning briefing looks like:
📱 Messages Requiring Response (3 items)
• John (Work): Project deadline discussion - High Priority
• Family Group: Weekend plans coordination - Medium Priority
• Dr. Office: Appointment confirmation needed - High Priority
📝 Today's Action Items (5 items)
• Complete AWS certification study (Chapter 7)
• Submit expense reports by 3 PM
• Call insurance company about claim
• Pick up prescription
• Review presentation for tomorrow's meeting
📧 Priority Emails (2 items)
• AWS Team: Code review feedback needed by EOD
• Client: Project proposal response required
📅 Today's Schedule
• 9:00 AM: Team standup meeting
• 2:00 PM: Client presentation
• 4:00 PM: Doctor appointment reminder
• 6:00 PM: Pick up kid from practice
How Q Developer CLI Made the Difference
1. Intelligent Setup Guidance
Q Developer CLI didn't just give me commands to run — it explained and actually did the full automated installation avoiding any manual potential pitfalls, and used best practices for MCP server configuration.
2. Error Prevention and Troubleshooting
When I encountered permission issues with macOS app access, Q Developer CLI immediately provided solutions and explained the security implications and fixed it on its own.
3. Optimization Suggestions
Q Developer CLI suggested improvements to my automation logic, like filtering out spam emails and prioritizing messages based on sender relationships.
4. Documentation Generation
Q Developer CLI helped me create comprehensive documentation, making it easy to maintain and share the solution.
The Technical Implementation
Key Components:
- Bun Runtime: Fast JavaScript runtime for executing MCP server
- Apple MCP Server: Provides secure access to macOS applications
- Q Developer CLI: Interface for running the automation
- Custom Prompts: Tailored queries for each data source
Security Considerations:
Q Developer CLI emphasized the importance of:
• Granting minimal necessary permissions
• Understanding data access patterns
• Keeping MCP servers updated
• Regular security reviews
Measuring the Impact
Before: 30-45 minutes of manual checking across multiple apps
After: 3-5 minutes reviewing a comprehensive briefing
Time Saved: ~40 minutes daily = 200+ hours annually
Stress Reduced: No more forgotten tasks or missed important messages
Productivity Gained: Clear priorities from the moment I start my day
Setup Instructions for Your Own Implementation
Prerequisites:
• macOS with Q Developer CLI installed
• Homebrew package manager
Step-by-Step Setup:
1/ Install Bun:
brew install oven-sh/bun/bun 2/ Configure Apple MCP Server:
Edit ~/.aws/amazonq/mcp.json:
{ "mcpServers": { "apple-mcp": { "command": "bunx", "args": ["@dhravya/apple-mcp@latest"] } } } 3/ Grant Permissions:
• Allow Q Developer CLI access to Messages, Mail, Notes, Reminders, and Calendar
• Configure privacy settings in System Preferences
4/ Test the Setup:
Use the morning briefing prompt to verify everything works
Troubleshooting Tips:
• Permission Denied: Check System Preferences > Privacy & Security
• MCP Server Not Found: Verify Bun installation and PATH configuration
• Slow Performance: Limit the scope of data queries for faster results
Future Enhancements
With Q Developer CLI's help, I'm planning to add:
• Smart Categorization: AI-powered priority scoring for messages and emails
• Integration Expansion: Adding Slack, Teams, and other communication tools
• Predictive Scheduling: Suggesting optimal times for tasks based on calendar patterns
• Voice Interface: Hands-free morning briefings
Conclusion: The Power of AI-Assisted Development
This project showcases how Q Developer CLI transforms the development experience. Instead of spending hours researching MCP protocols, debugging configuration issues, and writing complex automation scripts, I focused on defining my productivity needs while Q Developer CLI handled the technical implementation details.
The result? A personalized digital assistant that saves me hours weekly and ensures I never miss important communications or tasks.
Key Takeaways:
- Start with Real Problems: Focus on genuine productivity pain points
- Leverage AI Guidance: Let Q Developer CLI handle technical complexity
- Iterate and Improve: Use feedback to refine your automation
- Document Everything: Make your solution maintainable and shareable
- Security First: Always consider privacy and permission implications
Ready to Build Your Own?
The combination of Q Developer CLI and MCP servers opens up endless possibilities for personal automation. Whether you're managing AWS infrastructure, coordinating family schedules, or running a business, there's likely a productivity automation waiting to be built.
What's your biggest daily productivity challenge? Share in the comments, and let's explore how Q Developer CLI can help solve it!
This solution was built using Amazon Q Developer CLI and the Apple MCP server. Special thanks to the MCP community for creating such powerful integration tools.
Additional Resources
• Q Developer CLI Documentation
• Model Context Protocol Specification
• Apple MCP Server GitHub
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