basicmachines-co/basic-memory
Local-first agent memory over plain Markdown files with an MCP interface: knowledge persists as human-readable notes the agent reads and writes across sessions. Agentiquette scores it 71/100 (A-tier), methodology v1.0, scored 2026-07-07.
Key facts
| Category | Memory system |
|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0 |
| Maintainer | Basic Machines |
| Compatible agents | claude-code, cursor, generic |
| File patterns | |
| Triggering | manual-reference |
| GitHub metrics | 3,385 stars · 224 forks · 102 open issues (fetched 2026-07-07) |
| Last commit | 2026-07-07 |
| Created | 2024-12-02 |
Editorial analysis
The closest packaged implementation of the indexed-fact-files pattern this site documents: memory as Markdown you can read, grep, and version. That design choice buys inspectability and editability, the two axes file-based systems win on. Retrieval is the trade-off at scale, and the AGPL license is a real consideration for products. For individuals and teams who want memory they can audit by opening a folder, this is the honest choice.
Risks
AGPL-3.0 license has obligations for commercial hosted use; check before embedding in a product.
Evidence notes: Maintenance: same-day commits at fetch time. Composability: MCP interface works across agent runtimes. Safety: local-first is a strong default; write rules left to the user. Adoption: modest and log-capped; irrelevant to tier by design.
Install and first run
uv tool install basic-memory # then register the MCP server with your agentAlternatives in this category
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[](https://agentiquette.com/index/repos/basic-memory)Frequently asked questions
Is basicmachines-co/basic-memory good?
basicmachines-co/basic-memory scores 71/100 (A-tier) on Agentiquette's methodology v1.0, scored 2026-07-07. Strengths and weaknesses are in the editorial analysis; the score is explained dimension by dimension in the scorecard.
What is basicmachines-co/basic-memory for?
Local-first agent memory over plain Markdown files with an MCP interface: knowledge persists as human-readable notes the agent reads and writes across sessions.
Is basicmachines-co/basic-memory maintained?
Last commit 2026-07-07, 102 open issues at fetch time (2026-07-07). Maintenance is scored at 90 of 100.
Maintainer of basicmachines-co/basic-memory? Claim this listing and suggest corrections.