Local
Local install
Install Basic Memory locally and choose where notes live.
Local mode runs the MCP server on your machine and stores notes in local folders you control.
Followed Quickstart: Local? You've already done this — continue to Set Up Local Projects or CLI Basics.
Install the CLI
uv tool install basic-memory
brew tap basicmachines-co/basic-memory
brew trust basicmachines-co/basic-memory
brew install basic-memory
If you install with Homebrew:
brew trust tells Homebrew you accept code from this third-party tap. Recent Homebrew versions warn about untrusted taps, and Homebrew 6 will require the trust step before installing or upgrading from them. On older Homebrew versions the command doesn't exist yet — just skip it.Connect your MCP client
Configure your MCP client to run the local server. For Claude Desktop, add this to claude_desktop_config.json (file locations per platform):
claude_desktop_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"basic-memory": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["basic-memory", "mcp"]
}
}
}
Installed with Homebrew? Use
"command": "basic-memory", "args": ["mcp"] instead — uvx only exists if you installed uv. If your client can't find the command, use the full path (which basic-memory).Restart your MCP client after editing the config. Other clients — Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini — are covered in Integrations.
Choose where notes live
By default, notes are stored in a main project under ~/basic-memory — see Set Up Local Projects to point Basic Memory at any folder.