Claude Code Memory Upgrade: Complete Guide to Installing and Using claude-mem

Have you ever started a new Claude Code session only to realize that Claude no longer remembers what you worked on yesterday? claude-mem solves this problem by capturing development activity, creating searchable memories, and bringing relevant project context into future sessions.

It is an open-source memory plugin designed to help developers maintain continuity across multiple coding sessions without repeatedly explaining their projects.

📌 Key Features of claude-mem

Automatically captures coding activity and tool interactions.
Summarizes previous sessions into searchable observations.
Stores memory in a local SQLite database.
Retrieves relevant information through MCP search tools.
Integrates with Claude Code through its plugin system.

🧠 What Is claude-mem?

claude-mem is a persistent memory system for AI coding agents. It observes what Claude Code does, converts relevant activity into structured notes, and makes those notes available in future sessions.

For example, imagine that you spent yesterday implementing JWT authentication and fixing a token expiration bug.

When you start a new session, claude-mem can retrieve relevant observations so Claude Code can continue working with a better understanding of previous decisions.

This is particularly useful for developers working on long-term projects or maintaining large codebases.

⚙️ How to Install claude-mem

The easiest installation method is through the Claude Code plugin marketplace.

Open Claude Code and execute the following commands.

/plugin marketplace add thedotmack/claude-mem

Then install the plugin:

/plugin install claude-mem

Once installation is complete, restart Claude Code. Relevant context from previous sessions will automatically become available in subsequent sessions.

Alternatively, you can use the command-line installer:

npx claude-mem install

This installer can detect supported development environments and guide you through setup, including selecting an AI memory provider.

💻 System Requirements

Before installing, make sure you have:

Node.js 20.19 or later in the 20.x series, or 22.12 or later.
Bun, which can be installed automatically.
uv, which can also be installed automatically.
SQLite 3, which is included with the installation.

On Windows, make sure Node.js and npm are available through your system PATH. Restart your terminal or IDE after installation so the updated environment variables are recognized.

One important distinction: npm install -g claude-mem installs the SDK/library, not the complete plugin integration. Use the official installer or Claude Code marketplace commands instead.

🔍 How Does claude-mem Work?

The memory process consists of three main stages.

Capture: Hooks monitor Claude Code's tool interactions and development activity.
Summarize: A separate Observer processes the activity into compact observations and session summaries.
Retrieve: When a new session starts, relevant memories are retrieved and injected into the available context.

claude-mem also provides three important MCP search tools:

search: Finds relevant memory entries using search queries.
timeline: Retrieves chronological context around selected observations.
get_observations: Fetches the full details of selected memory entries.

This approach helps avoid loading an entire project history into every new conversation.

🛠️ Useful Features After Installation

The web viewer allows you to inspect saved memories, sessions, and settings. You can also search previous development decisions, review bug fixes, and retrieve information from earlier coding sessions.

If you prefer Korean-language memory summaries, edit the ~/.claude-mem/settings.json configuration file:

{
  "CLAUDE_MEM_MODE": "code--ko"
}

Restart Claude Code after changing the setting. The code--ko mode generates observations and summaries in Korean.

🔒 Privacy and Security Considerations

By default, claude-mem stores its memory database locally in ~/.claude-mem. Cloud synchronization is optional, but anonymous usage analytics are enabled by default.

To disable telemetry, run:

npx claude-mem telemetry disable

Avoid storing passwords, API keys, authentication tokens, or other sensitive information in memory. You can also wrap sensitive content in <private> tags to exclude it from storage.

Is claude-mem Worth Installing?

If you frequently switch between Claude Code sessions, work on long-running projects, or want to avoid repeating the same development explanations, claude-mem is worth exploring.

Start by installing the plugin through the Claude Code marketplace, then open a new session and check whether your previous project context is being restored.