CalDAV is an open protocol for working with calendars over the internet. If you have ever connected Google Calendar or Yandex Calendar to a third-party app, chances are CalDAV (or something equivalent) was what ran under the hood. This article explains how CalDAV works, why it matters, and how to hook your calendar up to a task planner.
What CalDAV is, in plain terms
CalDAV stands for Calendaring Extensions to WebDAV. In simple terms, it is a way for applications to read and write events in your calendar over the network. The app sends HTTP requests to the calendar server; the server returns events in iCalendar (.ics) format.
CalDAV is supported by:
- Google Calendar
- Yandex Calendar
- Apple iCloud Calendar
- Nextcloud, Radicale, Baikal, and other self-hosted setups
That means any app with CalDAV support can stay in sync with your calendar, no matter where it is hosted.
Why connect a calendar to a task planner
Tasks and meetings usually live in different places: tasks in a tracker, meetings in a calendar. In practice they overlap. “Prepare a report for the client meeting” is a task tied to a calendar event. If those live in separate apps, you jump between windows and lose context.
When the calendar is connected to the planner:
- You see meetings next to your tasks without switching apps
- You can link a task to a specific event
- Before a call you open one page instead of three applications
How to connect Google Calendar
Step 1. Create an app password
Google does not allow third-party apps to use your main account password for CalDAV. You need an “app password” (App Password). Create one in your Google account settings: Security → 2-Step Verification → App passwords.
Step 2. Enter the CalDAV address
For Google Calendar, the CalDAV URL looks like this:
https://www.google.com/calendar/dav/your_email/events/
Replace your_email with your Gmail address.
Step 3. Connect in the planner
In AI Planner, open integration settings, choose CalDAV, and paste the URL, login (email), and app password. After you connect, meetings appear on the Calendar tab and can be linked to tasks.
How to connect Yandex Calendar
Step 1. Create an app password
Same idea as Google: go to id.yandex.ru → Security → App passwords → Create a password for “Calendar”.
Step 2. Yandex’s CalDAV address
https://caldav.yandex.ru
Step 3. Connect
Login: your Yandex email. Password: the app password from step 1. Events will sync automatically.
Common issues
“Can’t connect”
In about nine out of ten cases the problem is the password. Make sure you are using an app password, not your main account password. Also confirm that two-factor authentication is enabled—without it, app passwords are not available.
“No events”
Check that the CalDAV URL points at the calendar you expect. Google can have several calendars, and the default one is not always the one you had in mind.
“One-way sync”
Most planners, including AI Planner, read events from the calendar but do not create new events there. That is safer: your calendar stays under your control.
Summary
CalDAV is a standard that works with most calendars. Setup takes about five minutes; after that, meetings and tasks live in one place. Try it in AI Planner—it is free, and CalDAV is already supported.