mirror of
https://github.com/basicmachines-co/basic-memory
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title: Getting Started with Basic Memory
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type: note
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permalink: docs/getting-started
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---
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# Getting Started with Basic Memory
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This guide will help you install Basic Memory, configure it with Claude Desktop, and create your first knowledge notes through conversations.
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## Installation
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### 1. Install Basic Memory
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```bash
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# Install with uv (recommended)
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uv install basic-memory
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# Or with pip
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pip install basic-memory
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```
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> **Important**: You need to install Basic Memory using one of the commands above to use the command line tools. The `uvx` command mentioned in the Claude Desktop configuration is only for enabling Claude to access Basic Memory.
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### 2. Configure Claude Desktop
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To enable Claude to read and write to your knowledge base, edit the Claude Desktop configuration file (usually at `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`):
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```json
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{
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"mcpServers": {
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"basic-memory": {
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"command": "uvx",
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"args": [
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"basic-memory",
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"mcp"
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]
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}
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}
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}
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```
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This configuration uses `uvx` to execute Basic Memory without requiring a full installation in Claude's environment.
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### 3. Start the Sync Service
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Start the sync service to monitor your files for changes:
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```bash
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# One-time sync
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basic-memory sync
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# For continuous monitoring (recommended)
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basic-memory sync --watch
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```
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The `--watch` flag enables automatic detection of file changes, keeping your knowledge base current.
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## Creating Your First Knowledge Note
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1. **Start a conversation in Claude Desktop** about any topic:
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```
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You: "Let's talk about coffee brewing methods I've been experimenting with."
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```
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2. **Have a natural conversation** about the topic
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3. **Ask Claude to create a note**:
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```
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You: "Could you create a note summarizing what we've discussed about coffee brewing?"
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```
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4. **Claude creates a Markdown file** in your `~/basic-memory` directory
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5. **View and edit the file** with any text editor or Obsidian
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## Using Special Prompts
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Basic Memory includes special prompts that help you start conversations with context from your knowledge base:
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### Continue Conversation
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To resume a previous topic:
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```
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You: "Let's continue our conversation about coffee brewing."
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```
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This prompt triggers Claude to:
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1. Search your knowledge base for relevant content about coffee brewing
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2. Build context from these documents
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3. Resume the conversation with full awareness of previous discussions
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### Recent Activity
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To see what you've been working on:
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```
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You: "What have we been discussing recently?"
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```
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This prompt causes Claude to:
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1. Retrieve documents modified in the recent past
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2. Summarize the topics and main points
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3. Offer to continue any of those discussions
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### Search
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To find specific information:
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```
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You: "Find information about pour over coffee methods."
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```
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Claude will:
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1. Search your knowledge base for relevant documents
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2. Summarize the key findings
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3. Offer to explore specific documents in more detail
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## Using Your Knowledge Base
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### Referencing Knowledge
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In future conversations, reference your existing knowledge:
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```
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You: "What water temperature did we decide was optimal for coffee brewing?"
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```
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Or directly reference notes using memory:// URLs:
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```
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You: "Take a look at memory://coffee-brewing-methods and let's discuss how to improve my technique."
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```
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### Building On Previous Knowledge
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Basic Memory enables continuous knowledge building:
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1. **Reference previous discussions** in new conversations
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2. **Add to existing notes** through conversations
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3. **Create connections** between related topics
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4. **Follow relationships** to build comprehensive context
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## Importing Existing Conversations
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Import your existing AI conversations:
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```bash
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# From Claude
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basic-memory import claude conversations
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# From ChatGPT
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basic-memory import chatgpt
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```
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After importing, run `basic-memory sync` to index everything.
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## Quick Tips
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- Keep `basic-memory sync --watch` running in a terminal window
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- Use special prompts (Continue Conversation, Recent Activity, Search) to start contextual discussions
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- Build connections between notes for a richer knowledge graph
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- Use direct memory:// URLs when you need precise context
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- Use git to version control your knowledge base
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- Review and edit AI-generated notes for accuracy
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## Next Steps
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After getting started, explore these areas:
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1. **Read the [[User Guide]]** for comprehensive usage instructions
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2. **Understand the [[Knowledge Format]]** to learn how knowledge is structured
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3. **Set up [[Obsidian Integration]]** for visual knowledge navigation
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4. **Learn about [[Canvas]]** visualizations for mapping concepts
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5. **Review the [[CLI Reference]]** for command line tools
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