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Getting Started

Your first steps with mem8.

Set Up Your Workspace​

1. Install mem8 CLI​

Install mem8 to get CLI commands:

# Install with uv (fast, modern Python package manager)
uv tool install mem8
Install uv first

If you don't have uv installed:

curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

2. Install Claude Code Plugin​

Get workflow commands and specialized agents:

# In Claude Code, run:
/plugin install mem8@mem8-official

This provides:

  • 8 workflow commands (/mem8:research, /mem8:plan, /mem8:implement, etc.)
  • 6 specialized agents (codebase-analyzer, memory-locator, etc.)
  • Integration with memory system

See the plugin repository for full documentation.

3. Set Up Memory (Optional)​

Create memory directory for persistent context:

cd your-project

# Create local memory structure
mkdir -p memory/{research,plans,decisions,prs}

# Or use a shared organizational repository
git submodule add https://github.com/your-org/shared-memory.git memory

Using Organizational Plugins​

Teams can create custom plugin versions. See the mem8-plugin repository as a template.

Your First Thought​

Research the Codebase​

Start by understanding your project:

# In Claude Code, run:
/mem8:research "authentication system"

This creates a research document in memory/research/ with:

  • Relevant code snippets
  • Architecture notes
  • Key findings

Create a Plan​

Design your implementation:

/mem8:plan "add OAuth2 support"

Generates a structured plan in memory/plans/ with:

  • Requirements analysis
  • Implementation steps
  • Testing strategy

Implement with Context​

Execute your plan:

/mem8:implement memory/plans/add-oauth2-support.md

Claude Code will:

  • Load your plan for context
  • Implement step-by-step
  • Check off completed steps

Commit Your Work​

Create a conventional commit:

/mem8:commit

Generates a commit message based on your changes.

Search Your Memory​

Find information quickly:

# Basic search
mem8 search "authentication"

# Limit results
mem8 search "OAuth" --limit 5

# Search specific locations
mem8 search "database" --path memory/research

Check Workspace Status​

Monitor your workspace health:

# Quick status
mem8 status

# Detailed view
mem8 status --detailed

Shows:

  • ✅ Components installed
  • 📊 Memory statistics
  • 🔗 Git status
  • ⚠️ Issues found

Sync with Team​

Share memory with your team:

# Two-way sync
mem8 sync

# Push your changes
mem8 sync --direction push

# Pull team changes
mem8 sync --direction pull

# Preview changes
mem8 sync --dry-run

Daily Workflow​

Morning Routine​

# Pull latest memory
mem8 sync --direction pull

# Check for issues
mem8 doctor

# Review recent research
mem8 search "research" --limit 5

mem8 doctor reads the .mem8/toolbelt.json manifest generated by your template, checking workspace folders and required CLI tooling for your platform before you start working.

During Development​

  1. Research - Understand the code
  2. Plan - Design your approach
  3. Implement - Execute with context
  4. Commit - Document your changes

End of Day​

# Share your memory
mem8 sync --direction push

# Check workspace
mem8 status

Tips & Tricks​

Keyboard Shortcuts​

In Claude Code:

  • / - List available commands
  • Ctrl+K - Quick command palette
  • Tab - Autocomplete

Search Operators​

# Exact phrase
mem8 search '"exact phrase"'

# Multiple terms
mem8 search "term1 term2"

# In specific directory
mem8 search "query" --path memory/shared/plans

Backup Strategy​

Memory is git repositories:

# Regular commits
cd memory
git add .
git commit -m "Update research"
git push

Custom Plugins​

Create organization-specific plugins:

  1. Use the mem8-plugin as a GitHub template
  2. Customize commands and agents for your team
  3. Share the plugin repository URL with team members
  4. See External Plugins for detailed instructions

Next Steps​

Common Tasks​

Add a New Agent​

  1. Create agent-name.md in .claude/agents/
  2. Define the agent's purpose and tools
  3. Test with Claude Code

Add a Slash Command​

  1. Create command-name.md in .claude/commands/
  2. Write the command prompt
  3. Use in Claude Code with /command-name

Share a Research Document​

  1. Create in memory/research/
  2. Commit to git
  3. Team members pull with mem8 sync

Find Old Decisions​

mem8 search "decision" --path memory/decisions

Clean Up Old Memory​

# Archive old memory
mkdir -p memory/archive/2024
mv memory/shared/research/old-* memory/archive/2024/

Need Help?​