MCP OpenMemory Server

Gives Claude the ability to remember your conversations and learn from them over time.

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/aef82b8e-3793-4ebd-b993-ddaef14d52d1

Features

Memory Storage: Save and recall conversation messages
Memory Abstracts: Maintain summarized memory context across conversations
Recent History: Access recent conversations within configurable time windows
Local Database: Uses SQLite for persistent storage without external dependencies

⚠️ Important

You must configure MEMORY_DB_PATH to a persistent location to avoid losing your conversation history when Claude Desktop closes. If not configured, the database defaults to ./memory.sqlite in a temporary location that may be cleared when the application restarts.

Configuration

Prerequisites

Node.js: Required to run the MCP server. Verify installation with:
```
node --version
```
If not installed, download from nodejs.org
Claude Desktop: Download the latest version for macOS or Windows

Claude Desktop Integration

Configuration File Location

The Claude Desktop configuration file is located at:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

To access: Open Claude Desktop → Claude menu → Settings → Developer → Edit Config

macOS/Linux

Run directly using npm

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-openmemory": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@peakmojo/mcp-openmemory@latest"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MEMORY_DB_PATH": "/Users/username/mcp-memory.sqlite"
      }
    }
  }
}

Windows

Run directly using npm

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-openmemory": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@peakmojo/mcp-openmemory@latest"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MEMORY_DB_PATH": "C:\\Users\\username\\mcp-memory.sqlite"
      }
    }
  }
}

Run from source (all platforms)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "memory": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["/path/to/your/repo/server.js"],
      "env": {
        "MEMORY_DB_PATH": "/path/to/your/memory.sqlite"
      }
    }
  }
}

Environment Variables

MEMORY_DB_PATH: Path to SQLite database file (default: ./memory.sqlite)

Verification

After configuring and restarting Claude Desktop, you should see:

Slider Icon (🔧) in the bottom left of the input box
Available Tools when clicking the slider:
- save_memory
- recall_memory_abstract
- update_memory_abstract
- get_recent_memories

Troubleshooting

Server Not Showing Up

Restart Claude Desktop completely
Check JSON syntax in your configuration file
Verify paths are absolute (not relative) and exist

Test manual server start:

# Test if the server runs correctly
npx @peakmojo/mcp-openmemory@latest

Check Logs

Log Locations:

macOS: ~/Library/Logs/Claude/
Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\logs\

View recent logs:

# macOS/Linux
tail -n 20 -f ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp*.log

# Windows  
type "%APPDATA%\Claude\logs\mcp*.log"

Common Issues

ENOENT errors on Windows: Add APPDATA to your env configuration
Tool calls failing: Check server logs for errors
NPM not found: Install NPM globally with npm install -g npm

For detailed troubleshooting, see the official MCP documentation.

Security Note

⚠️ Claude Desktop runs MCP servers with your user account permissions. Only install servers from trusted sources.

Available Tools

save_memory: Store individual conversation messages
recall_memory_abstract: Get current memory summary
update_memory_abstract: Update the memory summary
get_recent_memories: Retrieve recent conversation history

Usage

The server starts automatically when configured with Claude Desktop. The database will be created automatically on first use.

Example System Prompt

# Memory Usage Guidelines

You should use memory tools thoughtfully to enhance conversation continuity and context retention:

## When to Save Memory
- **save_memory**: Store significant conversation exchanges, important decisions, user preferences, or key context that would be valuable to remember in future conversations
- Focus on information that has lasting relevance rather than temporary details
- Save when users share important personal information, project details, or ongoing work context

## When to Update Memory Abstract  
- **update_memory_abstract**: After processing recent conversations, combine new important information with existing context to create an improved summary
- Update when there are meaningful developments in ongoing projects or relationships
- Consolidate related information to maintain coherent context over time

## When to Recall Memory
- **recall_memory_abstract**: Use at the beginning of conversations to understand previous context, or when you need background information to better assist the user
- **get_recent_memories**: Access when you need specific details from recent exchanges that aren't captured in the abstract
- Recall when the user references previous conversations or when context would significantly improve your assistance

## What Constitutes Critical Information
- User preferences and working styles
- Ongoing projects and their current status  
- Important personal or professional context
- Decisions made and their rationale
- Key relationships or collaborations mentioned
- Technical specifications or requirements for recurring tasks

Use these tools to build continuity and provide more personalized assistance, not as error-prevention mechanisms or intent-guessing systems.

🔀 Namespacing Memory by Project

You can separate memory per project in two ways:

1. Hard Separation (Claude vs Cursor)

Use different MEMORY_DB_PATH in each app's config:

Claude (claude_desktop_config.json):

"mcpServers": {
  "claude-memory": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["@peakmojo/mcp-openmemory@latest"],
    "env": {
      "MEMORY_DB_PATH": "/Users/you/claude-memory.sqlite"
    }
  }
}

Cursor (.cursor/config.json or tool config):

"mcpServers": {
  "cursor-memory": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["@peakmojo/mcp-openmemory@latest"],
    "env": {
      "MEMORY_DB_PATH": "/Users/you/cursor-memory.sqlite"
    }
  }
}

Each app runs its own instance, storing to its own DB.

2. Soft Namespacing via context

When calling memory tools, pass a custom "context":

{ "context": "project-x", "message": "Notes from project X." }

Use this to segment memory logically within the same database.

🔍 Semantic search is not supported yet. Open a GitHub issue if needed.

References

Model Context Protocol (MCP) Official Documentation - Complete MCP specification and guides
MCP Quickstart for Claude Desktop Users - Step-by-step setup guide
MCP Server Development Guide - For building custom MCP servers
MCP GitHub Repository - Official MCP implementation and examples
Claude Desktop - Download Claude Desktop application
Node.js - Required runtime for MCP servers

License

MIT License

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