Memory Bank MCP Server for Claude Code: Setup & Config

What you can do with Memory Bank in Claude Code

Choose it for straightforward, project-isolated memory files shared with an MCP coding assistant.

• Keep a coding assistant's project notes available between sessions.
• Create or revise memory-bank documents through an MCP client.

Before you start: Memory Bank in Claude Code

• Node.js and npx
• An MCP-compatible client
• A configured memory-bank storage directory

This follows the README's Claude configuration. Set the storage root to your directory. Docker is an alternative and requires a host-volume mapping. Review any client auto-approval settings separately from the server launch.

Memory Bank Claude Code configuration

1. Choose Claude Code configuration scope

   For Memory Bank MCP Server, open Project scope: .mcp.json at the repository root. Project JSON: merge into mcpServers; user scope: use the CLI.

2. Add Memory Bank MCP Server to Claude Code

   Use the memory-bank-mcp entry below in mcpServers. Keep Memory Bank MCP Server's documented stdio connection fields and your other Claude Code entries.

3. Check Memory Bank MCP Server in Claude Code

   Memory Bank MCP Server: Inspect claude mcp list and /mcp status.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "memory-bank-mcp": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@allpepper/memory-bank-mcp@latest"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MEMORY_BANK_ROOT": "<directory that will hold project memory banks>"
      }
    }
  }
}

claude mcp add-json --scope project 'memory-bank-mcp' '{"type":"stdio","command":"npx","args":["-y","@allpepper/memory-bank-mcp@latest"],"env":{"MEMORY_BANK_ROOT":"<directory that will hold project memory banks>"}}'

Memory Bank tools available to Claude Code

Memory Bank's stored tool list documents 5 tools; compare it with Claude Code's connected tool list, because the stored list is not a live check.

memory_bank_read

For Memory Bank's memory_bank_read, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

memory_bank_write

For Memory Bank's memory_bank_write, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

memory_bank_update

For Memory Bank's memory_bank_update, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

Revise an existing project memory file.

list_projects

For Memory Bank's list_projects, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

Discover projects stored beneath the memory-bank root.

list_project_files

For Memory Bank's list_project_files, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

Enumerate the memory files belonging to one project.

Memory Bank: full stored tool descriptions

Troubleshooting Memory Bank in Claude Code

• If Memory Bank MCP Server fails to start, check npx @allpepper/memory-bank-mcp@latest (Node.js/npm), the working directory, and Claude Code's selected scope; inspect claude mcp list and /mcp.
• Memory Bank MCP Server: check MEMORY_BANK_ROOT; keep credentials out of shared .mcp.json.
• Memory Bank MCP Server uses stdio here: Claude Code must keep the configured process running; protocol output belongs on stdout and diagnostics on stderr.
• Known limitation: Requires choosing and maintaining a storage directory.
• Known limitation: The documented interface does not include semantic-search tools.
• Known limitation: Sample client settings can auto-approve writes and should be reviewed.
• General Claude Code troubleshooting lives in the /clients/claude-code guide.

Frequently asked questions