<img src="logo.svg" alt="MentisDB logo" height="48" align="left" style="margin-right:12px" />
# MentisDB
MentisDB is a **durable semantic memory engine and versioned skill registry** for AI agents — a persistent, hash-chained brain that survives context resets, model swaps, and team turnover.
It stores semantically typed thoughts in an append-only, hash-chained memory log through a swappable storage adapter layer. The skill registry is a git-like immutable version store for agent instruction bundles — every upload is a new version, history is never overwritten, and every version is cryptographically signable.
---
## Why MentisDB
**Harness Swapping** — the same durable memory works across every AI coding environment. Connect Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot CLI, Qwen Code, Cursor, VS Code, or any MCP-capable host to the same `mentisdbd` daemon and your agents share one brain, regardless of which tool you picked up today.
**Zero Knowledge Loss Across Context Boundaries** — when an agent's context window fills, it writes a `Summary` checkpoint to MentisDB, compacts, reloads `mentisdb_recent_context`, and continues without losing a single decision. Chat history is ephemeral. MentisDB is permanent.
**Fleet Orchestration at Scale** — one project manager agent decomposes work, dispatches a parallel fleet of specialists, each pre-warmed with shared memory, and synthesizes results wave by wave. MentisDB is the coordination substrate: every agent reads from the same chain and writes its lessons back. The fleet's collective intelligence compounds.
**Versioned Skill Registry** — skills are not just stored, they are versioned like a git repository. Every upload to an existing `skill_id` creates a new immutable version (stored as a unified diff). Any historical version is reconstructable. Skills can be deprecated or revoked while full audit history is preserved. Uploading agents with registered Ed25519 keys must cryptographically sign their uploads — provenance is verifiable, not assumed.
**Session Resurrection** — any agent can call `mentisdb_recent_context` and immediately know exactly where the project stands, what decisions were made, what traps were already hit, and what comes next — without re-reading code, re-running exploratory searches, or asking the human to re-explain context that was earned through hours of work.
**Self-Improving Agent Fleets** — agents upload updated skill files after learning something new. A skill checked in at the start of a project is better by the end of it. Combine with Ed25519 signing to create a verifiable, tamper-evident record of which agent authored which version of institutional knowledge.
**Multi-Agent Shared Brain** — multiple agents, multiple roles, multiple owners can write to the same chain key simultaneously. Every thought carries a stable `agent_id`. Queries filter by agent identity, thought type, role, tags, concepts, importance, and time windows. The chain represents the full collective intelligence of an entire orchestration system, not just one session.
**Lessons That Outlive Models** — architectural decisions, hard constraints, non-obvious failure modes, and retrospectives written to MentisDB survive chat loss, model upgrades, and team changes. The knowledge compounds instead of evaporating. A new engineer or a new agent boots up, loads the chain, and inherits everything the team learned.
---
## Quick Start
Install the daemon:
```bash
cargo install mentisdb
```
Connect your local AI tools the fast way:
```bash
mentisdbd wizard
```
Or target one integration explicitly:
```bash
mentisdbd setup codex
mentisdbd setup all --dry-run
```
Then start the daemon:
```bash
mentisdbd
```
On an interactive first run with no configured client integrations,
`mentisdbd` offers to launch the setup wizard immediately after startup so you
do not have to guess the next command.
Run persistently after closing your SSH session:
```bash
nohup mentisdbd &
```
Modern MCP clients bootstrap themselves from the MCP handshake:
- `initialize.instructions` tells the agent to read `mentisdb://skill/core`
- `resources/read(mentisdb://skill/core)` delivers the embedded operating skill
- `GET /mentisdb_skill_md` remains available only as a compatibility fallback
If you need to wire a tool manually, here are the raw MCP commands/configs:
```bash
# Claude Code
claude mcp add --transport http mentisdb http://127.0.0.1:9471
# OpenAI Codex
codex mcp add mentisdb --url http://127.0.0.1:9471
# Qwen Code
qwen mcp add --transport http mentisdb http://127.0.0.1:9471
# GitHub Copilot CLI — use /mcp add in interactive mode,
# or write ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json manually (see below)
```
---
## What Is In This Folder
`mentisdb/` contains:
- the standalone `mentisdb` library crate
- server support for HTTP MCP and REST, enabled by default
- the `mentisdbd` daemon binary
- dedicated tests under `mentisdb/tests`
---
## Makefile
A `Makefile` is included at the repository root. All common workflows have a target:
```bash
make build # fmt + release build
make build-mentisdbd # build only the daemon binary
make release # fmt, check, clippy, build, test, doc in sequence
make fmt # cargo fmt
make check # cargo check (lib + binary)
make clippy # cargo fmt + clippy --all-targets -D warnings
make test # cargo test
make bench # Criterion benchmarks, output tee'd to /tmp/mentisdb_bench_results.txt
make doc # cargo doc --all-features
make install # cargo install --path . --locked
make publish # cargo publish
make publish-dry-run
make clean
make help # list all targets with descriptions
```
---
## Build
```bash
make build
```
Or directly with Cargo:
```bash
cargo build --release
```
Build only the library without the default daemon/server stack:
```bash
cargo build --no-default-features
```
---
## Test
```bash
make test
```
Or directly:
```bash
cargo test
```
Run tests for the library-only build:
```bash
cargo test --no-default-features
```
Run rustdoc tests:
```bash
cargo test --doc
```
---
## Benchmarks
MentisDB ships a Criterion benchmark suite and a harness-free HTTP concurrency benchmark:
```bash
make bench
```
Or directly:
```bash
cargo bench
```
Results are also written to `/tmp/mentisdb_bench_results.txt` so numbers persist across terminal sessions.
Benchmark coverage:
- `benches/thought_chain.rs` — 10 benchmarks: append throughput, query latency, traversal patterns
- `benches/search_baseline.rs` — 4 benchmarks: lexical/filter-first search baseline over content, registry text, indexed+text intersections, and newest-tail limits
- `benches/search_ranked.rs` — 4 benchmarks: additive ranked retrieval over lexical content, filtered ranked queries, and heuristic fallback, plus a baseline append-order comparison
- `benches/skill_registry.rs` — 12 benchmarks: skill upload, search, delta reconstruction, lifecycle
- `benches/http_concurrency.rs` — starts `mentisdbd` in-process on a random port; measures write and read throughput at 100 / 1k / 10k concurrent Tokio tasks with p50/p95/p99 latency reporting
Baseline numbers from the `DashMap` concurrent chain lookup refactor: **750–930 read req/s at 10k concurrent tasks**, compared to a sequential bottleneck on the previous `RwLock<HashMap>` implementation.
---
## Generate Docs
```bash
make doc
```
Or directly:
```bash
cargo doc --no-deps
```
Generate docs for the library-only build:
```bash
cargo doc --no-deps --no-default-features
```
---
## Run The Daemon
The standalone executable is `mentisdbd`.
Run it from source:
```bash
cargo run --bin mentisdbd
```
Install it from the crate directory:
```bash
make install
# or
cargo install --path . --locked
```
`mentisdbd` now owns both daemon startup and local integration setup:
```bash
mentisdbd setup codex
mentisdbd setup all --dry-run
mentisdbd wizard
mentisdbd
```
When it starts, it serves:
- an MCP server
- a REST server
- an HTTPS web dashboard
Before serving traffic, it:
- migrates or reconciles discovered chains to the current schema and default storage adapter
- verifies chain integrity and attempts repair from valid local sources when possible
- migrates the skill registry from V1 to V2 format if needed (idempotent; safe to run repeatedly)
Once startup completes, it prints:
- the active chain directory, default chain key, and bound MCP/REST/dashboard addresses
- a catalog of all exposed HTTP endpoints with one-line descriptions
- a per-chain summary with version, adapter, thought count, and per-agent counts
---
## Daemon Configuration
`mentisdbd` is configured with environment variables:
- `MENTISDB_DIR`
Directory where MentisDB storage adapters store chain files.
- `MENTISDB_DEFAULT_CHAIN_KEY`
Default `chain_key` used when requests omit one. Default: `borganism-brain`.
`MENTISDB_DEFAULT_KEY` is accepted as a deprecated alias.
- `MENTISDB_STORAGE_ADAPTER`
Default storage backend for newly created chains. Supported values: `binary`, `jsonl`.
Default: `binary`
- `MENTISDB_VERBOSE`
When unset, verbose interaction logging defaults to `true`. Supported explicit values:
`1`, `0`, `true`, `false`.
- `MENTISDB_LOG_FILE`
Optional path for interaction logs. When set, MentisDB writes interaction logs to that file
even if console verbosity is disabled. If `MENTISDB_VERBOSE=true`, the same lines are also
mirrored to the console logger.
- `MENTISDB_BIND_HOST`
Bind host for both HTTP servers. Default: `127.0.0.1`
- `MENTISDB_MCP_PORT`
MCP server port. Default: `9471`
- `MENTISDB_REST_PORT`
REST server port. Default: `9472`
- `MENTISDB_DASHBOARD_PORT`
HTTPS dashboard port. Default: `9475`. Set to `0` to disable the web dashboard.
- `MENTISDB_DASHBOARD_PIN`
Optional PIN required to access the dashboard. Leave unset only for trusted localhost use.
- `MENTISDB_AUTO_FLUSH`
Controls per-write durability of the `binary` storage adapter.
- `true` (default): every `append_thought` flushes to disk immediately. Full durability.
- `false`: writes are batched and flushed every 16 appends (`FLUSH_THRESHOLD`). Up to 15
thoughts may be lost on a hard crash or power failure, but write throughput increases
significantly for multi-agent hubs with many concurrent writers.
Supported values: `1`, `0`, `true`, `false`. Has no effect on the `jsonl` adapter.
- `MENTISDB_UPDATE_CHECK`
Background GitHub release check for `mentisdbd`. Enabled by default; set `0`, `false`, `no`,
or `off` to disable update checks after startup. Default: `true`
- `MENTISDB_UPDATE_REPO`
Optional GitHub `owner/repo` override used by the updater. Default: `CloudLLM-ai/mentisdb`
Example — full durability (production default):
```bash
MENTISDB_DIR=/tmp/mentisdb \
MENTISDB_DEFAULT_CHAIN_KEY=borganism-brain \
MENTISDB_STORAGE_ADAPTER=binary \
MENTISDB_VERBOSE=true \
MENTISDB_LOG_FILE=/tmp/mentisdb/mentisdbd.log \
MENTISDB_BIND_HOST=127.0.0.1 \
MENTISDB_MCP_PORT=9471 \
MENTISDB_REST_PORT=9472 \
MENTISDB_DASHBOARD_PIN=change-me \
MENTISDB_AUTO_FLUSH=true \
cargo run --bin mentisdbd
```
Example — high-throughput write mode (multi-agent hub):
```bash
MENTISDB_DIR=/var/lib/mentisdb \
MENTISDB_AUTO_FLUSH=false \
MENTISDB_BIND_HOST=0.0.0.0 \
mentisdbd
```
### Automatic Update Check
`mentisdbd` checks GitHub releases in the background after startup and can offer
to update itself with `cargo install`.
- checks are enabled by default
- version comparison uses only the first three numeric components, so a tag like
`0.6.1.14` is treated as core version `0.6.1`
- interactive terminals get an ASCII prompt window with `Y` / `N`
- non-interactive terminals never block; they print the exact manual `cargo install` command instead
Disable the automatic check:
```bash
MENTISDB_UPDATE_CHECK=0 \
mentisdbd
```
---
## Server Surfaces
MCP endpoints:
- `GET /health`
- `POST /`
- `POST /tools/list`
- `POST /tools/execute`
REST endpoints:
- `GET /health`
- `GET /mentisdb_skill_md`
- `GET /v1/skills`
- `GET /v1/skills/manifest`
- `GET /v1/chains`
- `POST /v1/bootstrap`
- `POST /v1/agents`
- `POST /v1/agent`
- `POST /v1/agent-registry`
- `POST /v1/agents/upsert`
- `POST /v1/agents/description`
- `POST /v1/agents/aliases`
- `POST /v1/agents/keys`
- `POST /v1/agents/keys/revoke`
- `POST /v1/agents/disable`
- `POST /v1/thought`
- `POST /v1/thoughts`
- `POST /v1/thoughts/genesis`
- `POST /v1/thoughts/traverse`
- `POST /v1/retrospectives`
- `POST /v1/search`
- `POST /v1/lexical-search`
- `POST /v1/ranked-search`
- `POST /v1/context-bundles`
- `POST /v1/recent-context`
- `POST /v1/memory-markdown`
- `POST /v1/skills/upload`
- `POST /v1/skills/search`
- `POST /v1/skills/read`
- `POST /v1/skills/versions`
- `POST /v1/skills/deprecate`
- `POST /v1/skills/revoke`
- `POST /v1/head`
---
## Search Semantics
MentisDB keeps its baseline thought search surface **filter-first and append-order**. Ranked, graph-aware, and vector retrieval are additive surfaces layered on top of that stable baseline.
Today, the main search APIs are:
- `MentisDb::query(&ThoughtQuery)`
- `POST /v1/search`
- `mentisdb_search`
Current behavior:
- indexed filters narrow the candidate set for `thought_type`, `role`, `agent_id`, tags, and concepts
- `text` is a case-insensitive substring match over:
- thought `content`
- `agent_id`
- tags
- concepts
- agent-registry display name, aliases, owner, and description
- results are returned in **append order**
- `limit` keeps the **newest matching tail** after filtering rather than applying a ranking score
That means plain `ThoughtQuery` / `/v1/search` behavior is deterministic and explainable, but that baseline path is **not** BM25, hybrid, or vector retrieval. Additive ranked and graph-aware retrieval now exist on separate crate, REST, and MCP surfaces.
Examples:
```rust,no_run
use mentisdb::{MentisDb, ThoughtQuery, ThoughtType};
use std::path::PathBuf;
# fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
let chain = MentisDb::open(&PathBuf::from("/tmp/tc_query"), "agent1", "Agent", None, None)?;
let lexical = ThoughtQuery::new()
.with_types(vec![ThoughtType::Decision])
.with_tags_any(["search"])
.with_text("latency");
let results = chain.query(&lexical);
# let _ = results;
# Ok(())
# }
```
```json
{
"chain_key": "mentisdb",
"thought_types": ["Decision"],
"tags_any": ["search"],
"text": "latency",
"limit": 20
}
```
Design note:
- treat this lexical/filter-first behavior as the baseline
- keep ranked, vector, and hybrid retrieval as additive, explicitly documented surfaces on top of that baseline
- do not silently change the semantics of `ThoughtQuery` or `/v1/search` from append-order filtering to score-ranked retrieval
The dedicated benchmark `benches/search_baseline.rs` and evaluation tests in `tests/search_eval_tests.rs` are intended to preserve that baseline while world-class search evolves.
### Ranked Search
MentisDB now also exposes an additive ranked-search surface for direct crate use:
- `RankedSearchQuery`
- `RankedSearchGraph`
- `MentisDb::query_context_bundles(&RankedSearchQuery)`
- `MentisDb::query_ranked(&RankedSearchQuery)`
- `RankedSearchBackend::{Lexical, Hybrid, LexicalGraph, HybridGraph, Heuristic}`
This surface is intentionally separate from `ThoughtQuery`.
`ThoughtQuery` still decides **which** thoughts are eligible. Ranked search then decides **how those eligible thoughts are ordered**.
Current ranked-search behavior:
- `RankedSearchQuery.filter` uses the same deterministic semantics as `MentisDb::query`
- when `text` normalizes to a non-empty query, the backend is `lexical` or `hybrid` depending on whether a managed vector sidecar is active for the current handle
- lexical ranking scores indexed thought text plus agent metadata from the filtered candidate set
- when a managed vector sidecar is active for the current handle, ranked search blends lexical scoring with vector similarity and the backend becomes `hybrid`
- when `graph` is enabled alongside non-empty `text`, the backend becomes `lexical_graph` or `hybrid_graph` depending on whether vector scoring is available
- graph expansion starts from lexical seed hits, walks `refs` and typed `relations`, and can surface supporting context that did not lexically match
- when `text` is absent or blank, the backend falls back to `heuristic`
- heuristic ordering uses lightweight importance, confidence, and recency signals
- `total_candidates` counts the hits after filter application and ranked-signal gating, before final `limit` truncation
- each ranked hit includes `matched_terms` plus `match_sources` such as `content`, `tags`, `concepts`, `agent_id`, and `agent_registry`
- each ranked hit also includes a `vector` score component when semantic sidecars contribute to the ranking
- graph-expanded hits also expose `graph_distance`, `graph_seed_paths`, `graph_relation_kinds`, and `graph_path` provenance so callers can explain why a supporting thought surfaced
- grouped context delivery is available through `query_context_bundles`, which anchors supporting graph hits beneath lexical seeds in deterministic order
Example:
```rust,no_run
use mentisdb::{MentisDb, RankedSearchGraph, RankedSearchQuery, ThoughtQuery, ThoughtType};
use mentisdb::search::GraphExpansionMode;
use std::path::PathBuf;
# fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
let chain = MentisDb::open(&PathBuf::from("/tmp/tc_ranked"), "agent1", "Agent", None, None)?;
let ranked = RankedSearchQuery::new()
.with_filter(
ThoughtQuery::new()
.with_types(vec![ThoughtType::Decision])
.with_tags_any(["search"]),
)
.with_text("latency ranking")
.with_graph(
RankedSearchGraph::new()
.with_max_depth(1)
.with_mode(GraphExpansionMode::Bidirectional),
)
.with_limit(10);
let results = chain.query_ranked(&ranked);
# let _ = results;
# Ok(())
# }
```
Grouped context example:
```rust,no_run
use mentisdb::{MentisDb, RankedSearchGraph, RankedSearchQuery, ThoughtQuery};
use mentisdb::search::GraphExpansionMode;
use std::path::PathBuf;
# fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
let chain = MentisDb::open(&PathBuf::from("/tmp/tc_ranked"), "agent1", "Agent", None, None)?;
let bundles = chain.query_context_bundles(
&RankedSearchQuery::new()
.with_filter(ThoughtQuery::new().with_tags_any(["search"]))
.with_text("latency ranking")
.with_graph(
RankedSearchGraph::new()
.with_mode(GraphExpansionMode::Bidirectional)
.with_max_depth(2),
)
.with_limit(5),
);
# let _ = bundles;
# Ok(())
# }
```
Product rule:
- keep `ThoughtQuery` stable and explainable for append-order filtering
- evolve ranked search as a separate surface with its own benchmarks, tests, and transport layers
- treat registry-aware filtering and future transport exposure as additive work on top of the current crate API
- use `query_ranked` for flat ranked retrieval and `query_context_bundles` when the caller wants seed-anchored support context instead of one mixed list
The ranked-search benchmark `benches/search_ranked.rs` and evaluation tests in `tests/search_ranked_eval_tests.rs` are the guardrails for that additive surface.
### Vector Sidecars
MentisDB now exposes an additive Phase 3 vector sidecar surface for direct crate use:
- `search::EmbeddingProvider`
- `search::EmbeddingMetadata`
- `search::VectorSidecar`
- `VectorSearchQuery`
- `MentisDb::vector_sidecar_path(&EmbeddingMetadata)`
- `MentisDb::load_vector_sidecar(&EmbeddingMetadata)`
- `MentisDb::vector_sidecar_freshness(&VectorSidecar, &EmbeddingMetadata)`
- `MentisDb::rebuild_vector_sidecar(&provider)`
- `MentisDb::manage_vector_sidecar(provider)`
- `MentisDb::unmanage_vector_sidecar(&EmbeddingMetadata)`
- `MentisDb::managed_vector_sidecars()`
- `MentisDb::apply_persisted_managed_vector_sidecars()`
- `MentisDb::managed_vector_sidecar_statuses()`
- `MentisDb::set_managed_vector_sidecar_enabled(kind, enabled)`
- `MentisDb::sync_managed_vector_sidecar_now(kind)`
- `MentisDb::rebuild_managed_vector_sidecar_from_scratch(kind)`
- `MentisDb::query_vector(&provider, &VectorSearchQuery)`
Contract:
- embeddings remain optional, and MentisDB still works with no vector dependencies at all
- vector state lives in a rebuildable sidecar, never in the canonical append-only chain
- vector sidecars are separated by `chain_key`, `thought_id`, `thought_hash`, `model_id`, embedding dimension, and embedding version
- changing the embedding model or version invalidates old vector state instead of silently mixing incompatible embeddings
- callers can opt one embedding space into append-time synchronization on a live handle by registering a managed vector sidecar provider
- vector hits surface whether they came from a `Fresh` or stale sidecar
- deleting or corrupting the sidecar degrades only vector retrieval; plain chain reads, appends, and lexical/graph search still work
Operational flow:
- rebuild a sidecar explicitly for one provider and chain
- or register that provider as a managed vector sidecar and keep it fresh on future appends for that open handle
- load or query that sidecar later with the same embedding metadata
- if the chain head changes, the sidecar becomes stale and results report that freshness state until the sidecar is rebuilt
### `mentisdbd` Default Vector Sidecar
`mentisdbd` now applies a persisted managed-vector setting every time it opens a chain.
- by default each chain gets the built-in local text embedding provider (`local-text-v1`)
- the daemon keeps that sidecar synchronized on append unless the user disables auto-sync for that chain
- ranked search in the daemon and dashboard now uses that managed sidecar transparently, blending lexical, graph, and vector signals whenever it is enabled and available
- the web dashboard exposes per-chain controls to:
- enable or disable append-time auto-sync
- sync the sidecar to the latest chain state without changing the enable/disable setting
- rebuild the sidecar from scratch after an explicit confirmation that the previous file will be deleted and recreated
- if auto-sync is disabled, new thoughts can make the sidecar stale until the user syncs or rebuilds it
### REST Lexical Search
The daemon also exposes the Phase 1 ranked lexical surface over REST at `POST /v1/lexical-search`.
Request shape:
```json
{
"chain_key": "mentisdb",
"text": "latency ranking",
"agent_ids": ["planner"],
"thought_types": ["Decision"],
"offset": 0,
"limit": 10
}
```
### Phase 4 Transport Contract (Ranked + Bundles)
Phase 4 transport work keeps plain `POST /v1/search` and `POST /v1/lexical-search`
compatibility and adds two additive endpoints:
- `POST /v1/ranked-search` for flat ranked retrieval
- `POST /v1/context-bundles` for seed-anchored grouped support context
Ranked response contract fields:
- `backend`
- `results[].score.{lexical,vector,graph,relation,seed_support,importance,confidence,recency,total}`
- `results[].matched_terms`
- `results[].match_sources`
- `results[].graph_distance`
- `results[].graph_seed_paths`
- `results[].graph_relation_kinds`
- `results[].graph_path`
Context-bundle response contract fields:
- `total_bundles`
- `consumed_hits`
- `bundles[].seed.{locator,lexical_score,matched_terms,thought}`
- `bundles[].support[].{locator,thought,depth,seed_path_count,relation_kinds,path}`
MCP transport mirrors this split with additive tools:
- `mentisdb_ranked_search`
- `mentisdb_context_bundles`
Acceptance coverage for these transport contracts lives in:
- `tests/search_transport_contract_tests.rs`
Response shape:
```json
{
"total": 2,
"results": [
{
"thought": { "index": 42, "agent_id": "planner", "content": "..." },
"score": {
"lexical": 2.91,
"vector": 0.27,
"graph": 0.18,
"relation": 0.05,
"seed_support": 0.0,
"importance": 0.0,
"confidence": 0.0,
"recency": 0.0,
"total": 3.14
},
"matched_terms": ["latency", "ranking"],
"match_sources": ["content", "tags", "agent_registry"]
}
]
}
```
---
## Web Dashboard
The daemon includes an embedded browser UI at:
```text
https://127.0.0.1:9475/dashboard
```
The dashboard is served over HTTPS with the same self-signed certificate used by
the HTTPS MCP and REST surfaces.
Dashboard capabilities:
- live chain listing with thought and agent counts
- thought exploration with grouped ThoughtType filters, refs, and typed relations
- chain-scoped ranked search with text and live-agent filters
- grouped context bundles for seed-anchored supporting search context
- ranked result inspection in the thought modal, including score breakdowns, matched terms, graph distance, relation kinds, and bundle support preview
- per-chain vector sidecar inspection plus enable/disable, sync, and rebuild controls
- agent detail management for display name, description, owner, status, and signing keys
- latest agent-thought browsing without restarting the daemon after new thoughts are appended
- chain import from `MEMORY.md`
- cross-chain agent-memory copy with agent metadata preserved on the target chain
- skill browsing, diffing, deprecation, and revocation
Protect the dashboard with `MENTISDB_DASHBOARD_PIN` whenever the daemon is reachable
outside localhost.
---
## MCP Tool Catalog
The daemon currently exposes 33 MCP tools:
- `mentisdb_bootstrap`
Create a chain if needed and write one bootstrap checkpoint when it is empty.
- `mentisdb_append`
Append a durable semantic thought with optional tags, concepts, refs, and signature metadata.
- `mentisdb_append_retrospective`
Append a retrospective memory intended to prevent future agents from repeating a hard failure.
- `mentisdb_search`
Search thoughts by semantic filters, identity filters, time bounds, and scoring thresholds.
- `mentisdb_lexical_search`
Return flat ranked lexical matches with explainable term and field provenance.
- `mentisdb_ranked_search`
Return flat ranked lexical, graph-aware, or heuristic results with additive score breakdowns.
- `mentisdb_context_bundles`
Return seed-anchored grouped support context beneath the best lexical seeds.
- `mentisdb_list_chains`
List known chains with version, storage adapter, counts, and storage location.
- `mentisdb_list_agents`
List the distinct agent identities participating in one chain.
- `mentisdb_get_agent`
Return one full agent registry record, including status, aliases, description, keys, and per-chain activity metadata.
- `mentisdb_list_agent_registry`
Return the full per-chain agent registry.
- `mentisdb_upsert_agent`
Create or update a registry record before or after an agent writes thoughts.
- `mentisdb_set_agent_description`
Set or clear the description stored for one registered agent.
- `mentisdb_add_agent_alias`
Add a historical or alternate alias to a registered agent.
- `mentisdb_add_agent_key`
Add or replace one public verification key on a registered agent.
- `mentisdb_revoke_agent_key`
Revoke one previously registered public key.
- `mentisdb_disable_agent`
Disable one agent by marking its registry status as revoked.
- `mentisdb_recent_context`
Render recent thoughts into a prompt snippet for session resumption.
- `mentisdb_memory_markdown`
Export a `MEMORY.md`-style Markdown view of the full chain or a filtered subset.
- `mentisdb_import_memory_markdown`
Import a `MEMORY.md`-formatted Markdown document into a target chain.
- `mentisdb_get_thought`
Return one stored thought by stable id, chain index, or content hash.
- `mentisdb_get_genesis_thought`
Return the first thought ever recorded in the chain, if any.
- `mentisdb_traverse_thoughts`
Traverse the chain forward or backward in append order from a chosen anchor, in chunks, with optional filters.
- `mentisdb_skill_md`
Return the official embedded `MENTISDB_SKILL.md` Markdown file.
- `mentisdb_list_skills`
List versioned skill summaries from the skill registry.
- `mentisdb_skill_manifest`
Return the versioned skill-registry manifest, including searchable fields and supported formats.
- `mentisdb_upload_skill`
Upload a new immutable skill version from Markdown or JSON.
- `mentisdb_search_skill`
Search skills by indexed metadata such as ids, names, tags, triggers, uploader identity, status, format, schema version, and time window.
- `mentisdb_read_skill`
Read one stored skill as Markdown or JSON. Responses include trust warnings for untrusted or malicious skill content.
- `mentisdb_skill_versions`
List immutable uploaded versions for one skill.
- `mentisdb_deprecate_skill`
Mark a skill as deprecated while preserving all prior versions.
- `mentisdb_revoke_skill`
Mark a skill as revoked while preserving audit history.
- `mentisdb_head`
Return head metadata, the latest thought at the current chain tip, and integrity state.
The detailed request and response shapes for the MCP surface live in
[`MENTISDB_MCP.md`](../MENTISDB_MCP.md). The REST equivalents live in
[`MENTISDB_REST.md`](../MENTISDB_REST.md).
---
## Thought Lookup And Traversal
MentisDB distinguishes three different read patterns:
- `head` means the newest thought at the current tip of the append-only chain
- `genesis` means the very first thought in the chain
- traversal means sequential browsing by append order, forward or backward, in chunks
That traversal model is deliberately different from graph/context traversal through `refs` and typed relations. Graph traversal answers "what is connected to this thought?" Sequential traversal answers "what came before or after this thought in the ledger?"
Lookup and traversal support:
- direct thought lookup by `id`, `hash`, or `index`
- logical `genesis` and `head` anchors
- `forward` and `backward` traversal directions
- `include_anchor` control for inclusive vs exclusive paging
- chunked pagination, including `chunk_size = 1` for next/previous behavior
- optional filters reused from thought search, such as agent identity, thought type, role, tags, concepts, text, importance, confidence, and time windows
- numeric time windows expressed as `start + delta` with `seconds` or `milliseconds` units for MCP/REST callers
---
## Skill Registry
MentisDB includes a versioned skill registry stored alongside chain data in a binary file. Skills are ingested through adapters:
- Markdown -> `SkillDocument`
- JSON -> `SkillDocument`
- `SkillDocument` -> Markdown
- `SkillDocument` -> JSON
Each uploaded skill version records:
- registry file version
- skill schema version
- upload timestamp
- responsible `agent_id`
- optional agent display name and owner from the MentisDB agent registry
- source format
- integrity hash
Uploaders must already exist in the agent registry for the referenced chain. Reusing an existing `skill_id` creates a new immutable version; it does not overwrite history.
`read_skill` responses include explicit safety warnings because `SKILL.md` content can be malicious. Treat every skill as advisory until provenance, trust, and requested capabilities are validated.
### Skill Versioning
Each upload to an existing `skill_id` creates a new immutable version rather than overwriting history:
- The first upload stores the full content (`SkillVersionContent::Full`).
- Subsequent uploads store a unified diff patch against the previous version
(`SkillVersionContent::Delta`), keeping storage efficient for iteratively improved skills.
- Each version receives a monotone `version_number` (0-based, assigned in append order).
- Pass a `version_id` to `read_skill` / `mentisdb_read_skill` to retrieve any historical version.
The system reconstructs it by replaying patches forward from version 0.
- `skill_versions` / `mentisdb_skill_versions` lists all versions with their ids, numbers, and timestamps.
### Signed Skill Uploads
Agents that have registered Ed25519 public keys in the agent registry must sign their uploads.
Required fields when the uploading agent has active keys:
- `signing_key_id` — the `key_id` registered via `POST /v1/agents/keys` or `mentisdb_add_agent_key`
- `skill_signature` — 64-byte Ed25519 signature over the raw skill content bytes
Agents without registered public keys may upload without signatures.
Upload flow for signing agents:
1. Register a public key:
```bash
POST /v1/agents/keys { agent_id, key_id, algorithm: "ed25519", public_key_bytes }
```
or via MCP: `mentisdb_add_agent_key`
2. Sign the raw content bytes with the corresponding private key (Ed25519).
3. Include `signing_key_id` and `skill_signature` in the upload request:
```bash
POST /v1/skills/upload { agent_id, skill_id, content, signing_key_id, skill_signature }
```
or via MCP: `mentisdb_upload_skill` with the same fields.
---
## Using With MCP Clients
`mentisdbd` exposes both:
- a standard streamable HTTP MCP endpoint at `POST /`
- the legacy CloudLLM-compatible MCP endpoints at `POST /tools/list` and
`POST /tools/execute`
That means you can:
- use native MCP clients such as Codex and Claude Code against `http://127.0.0.1:9471`
- keep using direct HTTP calls or `cloudllm`'s MCP compatibility layer when needed
### Codex
Codex CLI expects a streamable HTTP MCP server when you use `--url`:
```bash
codex mcp add mentisdb --url http://127.0.0.1:9471
```
Useful follow-up commands:
```bash
codex mcp list
codex mcp get mentisdb
```
This connects Codex to the daemon's standard MCP root endpoint.
### Qwen Code
Qwen Code uses the same HTTP MCP transport model:
```bash
qwen mcp add --transport http mentisdb http://127.0.0.1:9471
```
Useful follow-up commands:
```bash
qwen mcp list
```
For user-scoped configuration:
```bash
qwen mcp add --scope user --transport http mentisdb http://127.0.0.1:9471
```
### Claude for Desktop
Claude for Desktop connects to MCP servers through `claude_desktop_config.json`.
It requires [`mcp-remote`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/mcp-remote) as a bridge
between the desktop app and the MentisDB HTTPS endpoint.
**Step 1 — Install mcp-remote** (Node.js required):
```bash
npm install -g mcp-remote
```
**Step 2 — Edit the config file** (location by OS):
| macOS | `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` |
| Windows | `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json` |
| Linux | `~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` |
**macOS:**
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"mentisdb": {
"command": "/opt/homebrew/bin/mcp-remote",
"args": ["https://my.mentisdb.com:9473"],
"env": { "NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED": "0" }
}
}
}
```
**Windows:**
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"mentisdb": {
"command": "mcp-remote",
"args": ["https://my.mentisdb.com:9473"],
"env": { "NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED": "0" }
}
}
}
```
If Windows can't find the binary, supply the full path:
`C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Roaming\npm\mcp-remote.cmd`
**Linux:**
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"mentisdb": {
"command": "/usr/local/bin/mcp-remote",
"args": ["https://my.mentisdb.com:9473"],
"env": { "NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED": "0" }
}
}
}
```
Use `which mcp-remote` to confirm the binary path on your machine.
> **Why `NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED: "0"`?**
> MentisDB ships with a self-signed TLS certificate. Node.js rejects self-signed
> certs by default, which causes `mcp-remote` to disconnect immediately after the
> MCP `initialize` handshake. This env var disables that check for the
> `mcp-remote` process only. As an alternative, trust the certificate at the OS
> level (`sudo security add-trusted-cert` on macOS) and remove the `env` block.
Restart Claude for Desktop after saving the config file.
### Claude Code
Claude Code supports MCP servers through its `claude mcp` commands and
project/user MCP config. For a remote HTTP MCP server, the configuration shape
is transport-based:
```bash
claude mcp add --transport http mentisdb http://127.0.0.1:9471
```
Useful follow-up commands:
```bash
claude mcp list
claude mcp get mentisdb
```
`mentisdbd setup claude-code` merges the MCP server entry into
`~/.claude.json` (or `%USERPROFILE%\.claude.json` on Windows), preserving your
existing Claude Code settings. The older `~/.claude/mcp/mentisdb.json` path is
treated as a legacy companion file, not the canonical config target. The
MentisDB HTTP MCP block it writes looks like this:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"mentisdb": {
"type": "http",
"url": "http://127.0.0.1:9471"
}
}
}
```
Important:
- `/mcp` inside Claude Code is mainly for managing or authenticating MCP
servers that are already configured
- the server itself must already be running at the configured URL
### GitHub Copilot CLI
GitHub Copilot CLI can also connect to `mentisdbd` as a remote HTTP MCP
server.
From interactive mode:
1. Run `/mcp add`
2. Set `Server Name` to `mentisdb`
3. Set `Server Type` to `HTTP`
4. Set `URL` to `http://127.0.0.1:9471`
5. Leave headers empty unless you add auth later
6. Save the config
You can also configure it manually in `~/.copilot/mcp-config.json` (or
`$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/copilot/mcp-config.json` when `XDG_CONFIG_HOME` is set):
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"mentisdb": {
"type": "http",
"url": "http://127.0.0.1:9471",
"headers": {},
"tools": ["*"]
}
}
}
```
---
## Retrospective Memory
MentisDB supports a dedicated retrospective workflow for lessons learned.
- Use `mentisdb_append` for ordinary durable facts, constraints, decisions,
plans, and summaries.
- Use `mentisdb_append_retrospective` after a repeated failure, a long snag,
or a non-obvious fix when future agents should avoid repeating the same
struggle.
The retrospective helper:
- defaults `thought_type` to `LessonLearned`
- always stores the thought with `role = Retrospective`
- still supports tags, concepts, confidence, importance, and `refs` to earlier
thoughts such as the original mistake or correction
---
## Thought Types And Roles
MentisDB currently defines 29 semantic `ThoughtType` values and 8 operational
`ThoughtRole` values.
Thought types:
- `PreferenceUpdate`, `UserTrait`, `RelationshipUpdate`
- `Finding`, `Insight`, `FactLearned`, `PatternDetected`, `Hypothesis`, `Surprise`
- `Mistake`, `Correction`, `LessonLearned`, `AssumptionInvalidated`, `Reframe`
- `Constraint`, `Plan`, `Subgoal`, `Decision`, `StrategyShift`
- `Wonder`, `Question`, `Idea`, `Experiment`
- `ActionTaken`, `TaskComplete`
- `Checkpoint`, `StateSnapshot`, `Handoff`, `Summary`
Thought roles:
- `Memory`
- `WorkingMemory`
- `Summary`
- `Compression`
- `Checkpoint`
- `Handoff`
- `Audit`
- `Retrospective`
Use `ThoughtType` to say what the memory means semantically, and `ThoughtRole`
to say how the system should treat it operationally. The crate rustdoc is the
authoritative source for per-variant semantics, and the Agent Guide on the docs
site contains a human-oriented explanation of when to use each one.
---
## Shared-Chain Multi-Agent Use
Multiple agents can write to the same `chain_key`.
Each stored thought carries a stable:
- `agent_id`
Agent profile metadata now lives in the per-chain agent registry instead of
being duplicated into every thought record. Registry records can store:
- `display_name`
- `agent_owner`
- `description`
- `aliases`
- `status`
- `public_keys`
- per-chain activity counters such as `thought_count`, `first_seen_index`, and `last_seen_index`
That allows a shared chain to represent memory from:
- multiple agents in one workflow
- multiple named roles in one orchestration system
- multiple tenants or owners writing to the same chain namespace
Queries can filter by:
- `agent_id`
- `agent_name`
- `agent_owner`
Administrative tools can also inspect and mutate the agent registry directly,
so agents can be documented, disabled, aliased, or provisioned with public keys
before they start writing thoughts.
---
## Related Docs
At the repository root:
- `MENTISDB_MCP.md`
- `MENTISDB_REST.md`
- `mentisdb/WHITEPAPER.md`
- `mentisdb/changelog.txt`
