Memory Bank MCP Server for Claude Desktop: Setup & Config

What you can do with Memory Bank in Claude Desktop

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

• Keep a coding assistant's project notes available between sessions.
• Manage memory documents for several projects from one server.

Before you start: Memory Bank in Claude Desktop

• 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 Desktop configuration

1. Choose Claude Desktop configuration scope

   For Memory Bank MCP Server, open macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json. Merge under mcpServers via Settings → Developer → Edit Config when available.

2. Add Memory Bank MCP Server to Claude Desktop

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

3. Check Memory Bank MCP Server in Claude Desktop

   Memory Bank MCP Server: Fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop; check developer diagnostics.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "memory-bank-mcp": {
      "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 Desktop

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

memory_bank_read

When Claude Desktop requests memory_bank_read from Memory Bank, review the action before approving it.

Read a file from a selected project's memory bank.

memory_bank_write

When Claude Desktop requests memory_bank_write from Memory Bank, review the action before approving it.

Create a new memory document within a project.

memory_bank_update

When Claude Desktop requests memory_bank_update from Memory Bank, review the action before approving it.

Revise an existing project memory file.

list_projects

When Claude Desktop requests list_projects from Memory Bank, review the action before approving it.

list_project_files

When Claude Desktop requests list_project_files from Memory Bank, review the action before approving it.

Memory Bank: full stored tool descriptions

Troubleshooting Memory Bank in Claude Desktop

• Fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop for Memory Bank MCP Server. If npx @allpepper/memory-bank-mcp@latest (Node.js/npm) is missing, check the desktop process's PATH, which may differ from your terminal.
• In Claude Desktop's Memory Bank MCP Server entry, check MEMORY_BANK_ROOT. Keep secrets out of shared screenshots and repositories.
• Memory Bank MCP Server uses stdio here: Claude Desktop 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 Desktop troubleshooting lives in the /clients/claude-desktop guide.

Frequently asked questions