How to install how-it-works
npx skills add https://github.com/thedotmack/claude-mem --skill how-it-worksFull instructions (SKILL.md)
Source of truth, from thedotmack/claude-mem.
name: how-it-works description: Explain how claude-mem captures observations, when memory injection kicks in, and where data lives. Use when the user asks "how does claude-mem work?" or "what is this thing doing?".
How claude-mem works
What it does
Every Read, Edit, and Bash that Claude makes turns into a compressed observation. Observations get summarized at session end. Relevant ones get auto-injected into future prompts so the next session starts with context from the last one — no re-explaining the codebase, no re-discovering decisions.
When it kicks in
Memory injection starts on your second session in a project.
The first session in a fresh project seeds memory; subsequent sessions receive auto-injected context for relevant past work. Run /learn-codebase if you want to front-load the entire repo into memory in a single pass (~5 minutes, optional).
Where data lives
Everything stays in ~/.claude-mem on this machine.
Nothing leaves your machine except calls to whichever AI provider you configured for compression (Claude / OpenRouter / Gemini). The SQLite database, vector index, logs, and settings all live under that directory and are removed cleanly on npx claude-mem uninstall.
Related skills
More from thedotmack/claude-mem and the wider catalog.
mem-search
Search claude-mem's persistent cross-session memory database. Use when user asks "did we already solve this?", "how did we do X last time?", or needs work from previous sessions.
smart-explore
Token-optimized structural code search using tree-sitter AST parsing. Use instead of reading full files when you need to understand code structure, find functions, or explore a codebase efficiently.
make-plan
Create a detailed, phased implementation plan with documentation discovery. Use when asked to plan a feature, task, or multi-step implementation — especially before executing with do.
do
Execute a phased implementation plan using subagents. Use when asked to execute, run, or carry out a plan — especially one created by make-plan.
timeline-report
Generate a "Journey Into [Project]" narrative report analyzing a project's entire development history from claude-mem's timeline. Use when asked for a timeline report, project history analysis, development journey, or full project report.
claude-code-plugin-release
Automated semantic versioning and release workflow for Claude Code plugins. Handles version increments across package.json, marketplace.json, plugin.json manifests, build verification, git tagging, GitHub releases, and changelog generation. NPM publishing (so `npx claude-mem@X.Y.Z` resolves) is handed off to the human maintainer, who raised npm security.