Memory Bank MCP Server for Windsurf: Setup & Config

What you can do with Memory Bank in Windsurf

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

• Manage memory documents for several projects from one server.
• Create or revise memory-bank documents through an MCP client.

Before you start: Memory Bank in Windsurf

• 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 Windsurf configuration

1. Choose Windsurf configuration scope

   For Memory Bank MCP Server, open macOS/Linux: ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.codeium\windsurf\mcp_config.json. Merge into mcpServers; remote endpoints use serverUrl.

2. Add Memory Bank MCP Server to Windsurf

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

3. Check Memory Bank MCP Server in Windsurf

   Memory Bank MCP Server: Refresh MCP in Windsurf settings and inspect Cascade’s tools.

{
  "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 Windsurf

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

memory_bank_read

After refreshing Memory Bank in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for memory_bank_read.

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

memory_bank_write

After refreshing Memory Bank in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for memory_bank_write.

Create a new memory document within a project.

memory_bank_update

After refreshing Memory Bank in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for memory_bank_update.

list_projects

After refreshing Memory Bank in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for list_projects.

list_project_files

After refreshing Memory Bank in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for list_project_files.

Enumerate the memory files belonging to one project.

Memory Bank: full stored tool descriptions

Troubleshooting Memory Bank in Windsurf

• Check npx @allpepper/memory-bank-mcp@latest (Node.js/npm) on the machine running Windsurf's MCP integration for Memory Bank MCP Server; refresh MCP and inspect Cascade's tools.
• Check MEMORY_BANK_ROOT for Memory Bank MCP Server; do not bypass a Windsurf permission error with a broad administrator token.
• Memory Bank MCP Server uses stdio here: Windsurf 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 Windsurf troubleshooting lives in the /clients/windsurf guide.

Frequently asked questions