IAI MCP
A local MCP server that gives AI assistants a long-term memory by capturing sessions verbatim and surfacing relevant context automatically.
What is IAI MCP?
IAI MCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to local mcp server that gives ai assistants a long-term memory by capturing sessions verbatim and surfacing relevant context automatically.
A local MCP server that gives AI assistants a long-term memory by capturing sessions verbatim and surfacing relevant context automatically.
This server falls under the Knowledge & Memory category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- A local MCP server that gives AI assistants a long-term memo
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx iaiConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use IAI MCP
IAI MCP (iai-personal-memory-engine) is a local MCP server that gives AI assistants persistent, long-term episodic memory by automatically capturing every session turn verbatim and surfacing relevant past context at the start of each new session. It uses a native Rust embedding engine with the bge-small-en-v1.5 model and LanceDB for local vector storage, so all data stays on your machine. Developers and power users who work daily with Claude Code or Codex CLI benefit most — the server eliminates the need to re-explain project context every session and builds a searchable history of past decisions and conversations.
Prerequisites
- macOS (Apple Silicon tested; Linux may work); Python 3.11 or 3.12
- Node.js 18 or later
- Rust toolchain (installed via rustup) for building the native engine
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Code or Codex CLI
- ~500 MB free disk space for the LanceDB store and model weights
Clone and install the Python package
Clone the repository, create a Python virtual environment with Python 3.12, and install the package. The installer automatically compiles the native Rust engine via setuptools-rust.
git clone https://github.com/CodeAbra/iai-personal-memory-engine.git
cd iai-personal-memory-engine
python3.12 -m venv .venv && source .venv/bin/activate
pip install .Build the MCP Node.js wrapper
The MCP transport layer is a small Node.js wrapper around the Python engine. Build it and then install the background daemon that keeps the memory engine running between sessions.
cd mcp-wrapper && npm install && npm run build && cd ..
iai-mcp daemon installInstall automatic capture hooks
Hook scripts patch your Claude Code (or Codex CLI) settings so every conversation turn is captured automatically without any manual commands. Run the appropriate variant for your client.
# For Claude Code only
iai-mcp capture-hooks install
# For Codex CLI only
iai-mcp capture-hooks install --target codex
# For both clients
iai-mcp capture-hooks install --target allRegister the MCP server with Claude Code
Add the MCP server to Claude Code using an absolute path to the built Node.js wrapper. Tilde expansion does not work in config files — use the full path.
claude mcp add iai-mcp -- node "/absolute/path/to/iai-personal-memory-engine/mcp-wrapper/dist/index.js"Verify the installation
Run the built-in health checker which performs 25 diagnostic checks, then confirm the daemon is active and that the first capture log exists after starting a Claude Code session.
iai-mcp doctor
iai-mcp daemon statusIAI MCP Examples
Client configuration
Add this block to ~/.claude.json (Claude Code) to register the MCP server. Set IAI_MCP_PYTHON to your venv Python and IAI_MCP_STORE to the desired data directory.
{
"mcpServers": {
"iai-mcp": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/absolute/path/to/iai-personal-memory-engine/mcp-wrapper/dist/index.js"],
"env": {
"IAI_MCP_PYTHON": "/absolute/path/to/iai-personal-memory-engine/.venv/bin/python",
"IAI_MCP_STORE": "/Users/yourname/.iai-mcp"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
After installation, memory capture and recall are fully automatic. These prompts interact with the memory system or inspect its state.
- "What have we discussed about the authentication module in past sessions?"
- "Summarize the architectural decisions we made last week."
- "What was the last bug we fixed together?"
- "Show me the topology of my memory store."Troubleshooting IAI MCP
iai-mcp doctor reports Rust engine build failure
Ensure the Rust toolchain is installed (run 'rustup show') and that you are using Python 3.11 or 3.12. Then re-run 'pip install .' inside the activated venv.
Memory is not recalled at session start
Confirm the daemon is running with 'iai-mcp daemon status'. If it is stopped, run 'iai-mcp daemon install' again and check logs at ~/.iai-mcp/logs/ for errors.
Config paths with ~ or $HOME are not expanded
Use fully qualified absolute paths in claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.claude.json. The MCP host does not perform shell expansion on config values.
Frequently Asked Questions about IAI MCP
What is IAI MCP?
IAI MCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that local mcp server that gives ai assistants a long-term memory by capturing sessions verbatim and surfacing relevant context automatically. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install IAI MCP?
Follow the installation instructions on the IAI MCP GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with IAI MCP?
IAI MCP works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is IAI MCP free to use?
Yes, IAI MCP is open source and available under the MIT License license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
IAI MCP Alternatives — Similar Knowledge & Memory Servers
Looking for alternatives to IAI MCP? Here are other popular knowledge & memory servers you can use with Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
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Context Mode
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Memu
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MemOS
★ 9.3kMemOS (Memory Operating System) is a memory management operating system designed for AI applications. Its goal is: to enable your AI system to have long-term memory like a human, not only remembering what users have said but also actively invoking, u
Everos
★ 5.4kBuild, evaluate, and integrate long-term memory for self-evolving agents.
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Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
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