Private Journal
A lightweight MCP server that provides Claude with a private journaling capability to process feelings and thoughts
What is Private Journal?
Private Journal is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to lightweight mcp server that provides claude with a private journaling capability to process feelings and thoughts
A lightweight MCP server that provides Claude with a private journaling capability to process feelings and thoughts
This server falls under the Knowledge & Memory category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- A lightweight MCP server that provides Claude with a private
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx private-journalConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Private Journal
Private Journal MCP Server gives Claude a persistent, private journaling capability where it can record reflections, observations, technical insights, project notes, and user context across conversations. Unlike standard AI memory, journal entries are stored locally on your machine as files, giving you full control over the data. Developers and power users add this server to build a growing knowledge base that Claude can search and reference in future sessions — effectively giving the AI working memory that survives conversation resets.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18+ installed (required to run npx)
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop or Claude Code
- A writable local directory for storing journal files (defaults to a project-scoped path)
- Git access to the obra/private-journal-mcp repository (fetched automatically via npx github:)
Add the server via Claude Code CLI (quickest method)
The fastest way to add Private Journal is using the Claude Code CLI one-liner. This registers the server for all projects at the user level.
claude mcp add-json private-journal '{"type":"stdio","command":"npx","args":["github:obra/private-journal-mcp"]}' -s userOr configure manually in claude_desktop_config.json
For Claude Desktop or other MCP clients, add the server block to your config file. No API keys are needed — the server only writes to local disk.
{
"mcpServers": {
"private-journal": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["github:obra/private-journal-mcp"]
}
}
}Optionally set a custom journal storage path
By default, journals are stored per-project. Set PRIVATE_JOURNAL_PATH to a single directory to consolidate all journal entries across projects into one location.
{
"mcpServers": {
"private-journal": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["github:obra/private-journal-mcp"],
"env": {
"PRIVATE_JOURNAL_PATH": "/Users/yourname/claude-journals"
}
}
}
}Encourage Claude to use the journal proactively
Add a prompt to your CLAUDE.md or system prompt telling Claude to search the journal at the start of complex tasks and record key findings at the end. This builds useful memory over time.
# Add to ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md:
# Before starting complex tasks, search the journal for relevant past
# experiences and lessons learned. After completing tasks, record key
# findings, decisions, and user preferences in the journal.Restart your MCP client and verify
Restart Claude Desktop or your MCP client after saving the configuration. Ask Claude to write a test journal entry and then search for it to confirm both tools are working.
Private Journal Examples
Client configuration
claude_desktop_config.json entry for Private Journal with a custom storage path.
{
"mcpServers": {
"private-journal": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["github:obra/private-journal-mcp"],
"env": {
"PRIVATE_JOURNAL_PATH": "/Users/yourname/Documents/claude-journal"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example ways to interact with Claude's private journal to build persistent memory.
- "Write a journal entry about the debugging session we just had and what we learned about the auth middleware"
- "Search the journal for anything related to database connection issues"
- "List your 10 most recent journal entries"
- "Read the journal entry from last Tuesday about the deployment pipeline"
- "Before we start this refactor, search the journal for any notes about the payment module"Troubleshooting Private Journal
npx github:obra/private-journal-mcp fails with network error or timeout
This command fetches the package directly from GitHub on each run. Ensure you have internet access and that GitHub is reachable. If you are behind a corporate proxy, set HTTP_PROXY and HTTPS_PROXY environment variables. You can also clone the repo locally and point to the local path in the args array instead.
Journal entries are not persisting between conversations
Verify that PRIVATE_JOURNAL_PATH points to a directory that exists and is writable by the process running the MCP server. If using the default project-scoped path, check that the working directory has write permissions. Run list_recent_entries to confirm entries are being saved.
Search returns no results even for recently written entries
The search_journal tool uses natural language semantic matching. Try broader search terms. If the journal path was changed between sessions, old entries may be in a different directory — set PRIVATE_JOURNAL_PATH consistently to a single location to consolidate all entries.
Frequently Asked Questions about Private Journal
What is Private Journal?
Private Journal is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that lightweight mcp server that provides claude with a private journaling capability to process feelings and thoughts It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Private Journal?
Follow the installation instructions on the Private Journal GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Private Journal?
Private Journal works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Private Journal free to use?
Yes, Private Journal is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
Private Journal Alternatives — Similar Knowledge & Memory Servers
Looking for alternatives to Private Journal? Here are other popular knowledge & memory servers you can use with Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
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