MCP OpenMemory Server

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

openmemory.demo.0605.mp4

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:

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

Troubleshooting

Server Not Showing Up

1. Restart Claude Desktop completely
2. Check JSON syntax in your configuration file
3. Verify paths are absolute (not relative) and exist
4. 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