specmem

SpecMem is a self-hosted memory-augmented code assistant designed to persist your coding conversations and context across sessions. It provides a multi-agent capable MCP-powered server with embedded memory, per-project isolation, and local embedding/search capabilities powered by pgvector. With MCP tooling enabled, you can run agents, manage embeddings, and coordinate memory and code tracebacks across sessions and projects. The server is designed to be self-hosted, allowing you to keep data on your own infrastructure while benefiting from SpecMem’s 74+ MCP tools and multi-agent coordination features. To start, run the MCP server via the recommended npx command, then interact with the built-in tooling to index your codebase, query semantic search over embeddings, and maintain persistent conversation context across sessions.

Prerequisites:

• Node.js 18+ and npm installed on your system
• Access to a terminal or shell with network access

Installation steps:

1. Install the SpecMem MCP server globally (optional but recommended for ease of use): npm install -g specmem-hardwicksoftware

2. Run the MCP server using npx (no global install required): npx -y specmem-hardwicksoftware

3. (Optional) If you prefer a local install, you can install locally in a project and run via npx from that project: mkdir my-specmem-project cd my-specmem-project npm init -y npm install specmem-hardwicksoftware npx -y specmem-hardwicksoftware

Prerequisites recap:

• Node.js 18+ installed
• Internet access to fetch the npm package
• Basic familiarity with running CLI tools in a terminal

Tips and common considerations:

• The SpecMem MCP server is designed to be self-hosted with persistent memory across conversations. Ensure you have adequate storage for embeddings and indexes (pgvector usage).
• If you run into port or binding issues, check environment variables or CLI flags for binding address, port, and data directory (refer to the package documentation for details).
• The npm package name is specmem-hardwicksoftware; use the npx command shown to start quickly or install locally for project-based usage.
• Keep your license terms in mind; the project notes a proprietary license beyond individual use levels.
• For updates, reinstall or update the npm package to pick up the latest MCP tooling and fixes.

Environment variables and config options commonly supported (subject to the package):

• MEMORY_DIR or DATA_DIR: path to store embeddings and database files
• EMBEDDINGS_ENGINE: choice of embedding/search backend (e.g., pgvector)
• LOG_LEVEL: debug, info, warn, error
• MCP_PORT: port to run the MCP server on

If you encounter issues, consult the SPECMem readme and the MCP tooling docs bundled in the package for troubleshooting steps.