Claudemem Semantic Code Search Expert (v0.6.0)
This Skill provides comprehensive guidance on leveraging claudemem v0.7.0+ with AST-based structural analysis, code analysis commands, and framework documentation for intelligent codebase understanding.
What's New in v0.3.0
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ CLAUDEMEM v0.3.0 ARCHITECTURE │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ │ │ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ AST STRUCTURAL LAYER ⭐NEW │ │ │ │ Tree-sitter Parse → Symbol Graph → PageRank Ranking │ │ │ │ map | symbol | callers | callees | context │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ ↓ │ │ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ SEARCH LAYER │ │ │ │ Query → Embed → Vector Search + BM25 → Ranked Results │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ ↓ │ │ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ INDEX LAYER │ │ │ │ AST Parse → Chunk → Embed → LanceDB + Symbol Graph │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Key Innovation: Structural Understanding
v0.3.0 adds AST tree navigation with symbol graph analysis:
- •PageRank ranking - Symbols ranked by importance (how connected they are)
- •Call graph analysis - Track callers/callees for impact assessment
- •Structural overview - Map the codebase before reading code
Quick Reference
# For agentic use, always use --agent flag for clean output claudemem --agent <command> # Core commands for agents claudemem --agent map [query] # Get structural overview (repo map) claudemem --agent symbol <name> # Find symbol definition claudemem --agent callers <name> # What calls this symbol? claudemem --agent callees <name> # What does this symbol call? claudemem --agent context <name> # Full context (symbol + dependencies) claudemem --agent search <query> # Semantic search (clean output) claudemem --agent search <query> --map # Search + include repo map context
Version Compatibility
Claudemem has evolved significantly. Check your version before using commands:
claudemem --version
Command Availability by Version
| Command | Minimum Version | Status | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
map | v0.3.0 | ✅ Available | Architecture overview with PageRank |
symbol | v0.3.0 | ✅ Available | Find exact file:line location |
callers | v0.3.0 | ✅ Available | What calls this symbol? |
callees | v0.3.0 | ✅ Available | What does this symbol call? |
context | v0.3.0 | ✅ Available | Full call chain (callers + callees) |
search | v0.3.0 | ✅ Available | Semantic vector search |
dead-code | v0.4.0+ | ⚠️ Check version | Find unused symbols |
test-gaps | v0.4.0+ | ⚠️ Check version | Find high-importance untested code |
impact | v0.4.0+ | ⚠️ Check version | BFS transitive caller analysis |
docs | v0.7.0+ | ✅ Available | Framework documentation fetching |
Version Detection in Scripts
# Get version number VERSION=$(claudemem --version 2>/dev/null | grep -oE '[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+' | head -1) # Check if v0.4.0+ features available if [ -n "$VERSION" ] && printf '%s\n' "0.4.0" "$VERSION" | sort -V -C; then # v0.4.0+ available claudemem --agent dead-code claudemem --agent test-gaps claudemem --agent impact SymbolNameelse echo "Code analysis commands require claudemem v0.4.0+" echo "Current version: $VERSION" echo "Fallback to v0.3.0 commands (map, symbol, callers, callees)" fi
Graceful Degradation
When using v0.4.0+ commands, always provide fallback:
# Try impact analysis (v0.4.0+), fallback to callers (v0.3.0) IMPACT=$(claudemem --agent impact SymbolName 2>/dev/null) if [ -n "$IMPACT" ] && [ "$IMPACT" != "command not found" ]; then echo "$IMPACT" else echo "Using fallback (direct callers only):" claudemem --agent callers SymbolNamefi
Why This Matters:
- •v0.3.0 commands work for 90% of use cases (navigation, modification)
- •v0.4.0+ commands are specialized (code analysis, cleanup planning)
- •Scripts should work across versions with appropriate fallbacks
The Correct Workflow ⭐CRITICAL
Phase 1: Understand Structure First (ALWAYS DO THIS)
Before reading any code files, get the structural overview:
# For a specific task, get focused repo map claudemem --agent map "authentication flow" # Output shows relevant symbols ranked by importance (PageRank): # file: src/auth/AuthService.ts # line: 15-89 # kind: class # name: AuthService # pagerank: 0.0921 # signature: class AuthService # --- # file: src/middleware/auth.ts # ...
This tells you:
- •Which files contain relevant code
- •Which symbols are most important (high PageRank = heavily used)
- •The structure before you read actual code
Phase 2: Locate Specific Symbols
Once you know what to look for:
# Find exact location of a symbol claudemem --agent symbol AuthService # Output: # file: src/auth/AuthService.ts # line: 15-89 # kind: class # name: AuthService # signature: class AuthService implements IAuthProvider # exported: true # pagerank: 0.0921 # docstring: Handles user authentication and session management
Phase 3: Understand Dependencies
Before modifying code, understand what depends on it:
# What calls AuthService? (impact of changes) claudemem --agent callers AuthService # Output: # caller: LoginController.authenticate # file: src/controllers/login.ts # line: 34 # kind: call # --- # caller: SessionMiddleware.validate # file: src/middleware/session.ts # line: 12 # kind: call
# What does AuthService call? (its dependencies) claudemem --agent callees AuthService # Output: # callee: Database.query # file: src/db/database.ts # line: 45 # kind: call # --- # callee: TokenManager.generate # file: src/auth/tokens.ts # line: 23 # kind: call
Phase 4: Get Full Context
For complex modifications, get everything at once:
claudemem --agent context AuthService # Output includes: # [symbol] # file: src/auth/AuthService.ts # line: 15-89 # kind: class # name: AuthService # ... # [callers] # caller: LoginController.authenticate # ... # [callees] # callee: Database.query # ...
Phase 5: Search for Code (Only If Needed)
When you need actual code snippets:
# Semantic search claudemem --agent search "password hashing" # Search with repo map context (recommended for complex tasks) claudemem --agent search "password hashing" --map``` --- ## Output Format When using `--agent` flag, commands output machine-readable format:
Raw output format (line-based, easy to parse)
file: src/core/indexer.ts line: 45-120 kind: class name: Indexer signature: class Indexer pagerank: 0.0842 exported: true
file: src/core/store.ts line: 12-89 kind: class name: VectorStore ...
Records are separated by `---`. Each field is `key: value` on its own line. --- ## Command Reference ### claudemem map [query] Get structural overview of the codebase. Optionally focused on a query. ```bash # Full repo map (top symbols by PageRank) claudemem --agent map # Focused on specific task claudemem --agent map "authentication" # Limit tokens claudemem --agent map "auth" --tokens 500``` **Output fields**: file, line, kind, name, signature, pagerank, exported **When to use**: Always first - understand structure before reading code ### claudemem symbol <name> Find a symbol by name. Disambiguates using PageRank and export status. ```bash claudemem --agent symbol Indexerclaudemem --agent symbol "search" --file retriever # hint which file
Output fields: file, line, kind, name, signature, pagerank, exported, docstring
When to use: When you know the symbol name and need exact location
claudemem callers <name>
Find all symbols that call/reference the given symbol.
claudemem --agent callers AuthService``` **Output fields**: caller (name), file, line, kind (call/import/extends/etc) **When to use**: Before modifying anything - know the impact radius ### claudemem callees <name> Find all symbols that the given symbol calls/references. ```bash claudemem --agent callees AuthService``` **Output fields**: callee (name), file, line, kind **When to use**: To understand dependencies and trace data flow ### claudemem context <name> Get full context: the symbol plus its callers and callees. ```bash claudemem --agent context Indexerclaudemem --agent context Indexer --callers 10 --callees 20``` **Output sections**: [symbol], [callers], [callees] **When to use**: For complex modifications requiring full awareness ### claudemem search <query> Semantic search across the codebase. ```bash claudemem --agent search "error handling"claudemem --agent search "error handling" --map # include repo map claudemem --agent search "auth" -n 5 # limit results
Output fields: file, line, kind, name, score, content (truncated)
When to use: When you need actual code snippets (after mapping)
Code Analysis Commands (v0.4.0+ Required)
claudemem dead-code
Find unused symbols in the codebase.
# Find all unused symbols claudemem --agent dead-code # Stricter threshold (only very low PageRank) claudemem --agent dead-code --max-pagerank 0.005 # Include exported symbols (usually excluded) claudemem --agent dead-code --include-exported``` **Algorithm:** - Zero callers (nothing references the symbol) - Low PageRank (< 0.001 default) - Not exported (by default, exports may be used externally) **Output fields**: file, line, kind, name, pagerank, last_caller_removed **When to use**: Architecture cleanup, tech debt assessment, before major refactoring **Empty Result Handling:** ```bash RESULT=$(claudemem --agent dead-code ) if [ -z "$RESULT" ] || [ "$RESULT" = "No dead code found" ]; then echo "Codebase is clean - no dead code detected!" echo "This indicates good code hygiene." else echo "$RESULT" fi
Static Analysis Limitations:
- •Dynamic imports (
import()) may hide real callers - •Reflection-based access not captured
- •External callers (other repos, CLI usage) not visible
- •Exported symbols excluded by default for this reason
claudemem test-gaps
Find high-importance code without test coverage.
# Find all test coverage gaps claudemem --agent test-gaps # Only critical gaps (high PageRank) claudemem --agent test-gaps --min-pagerank 0.05``` **Algorithm:** - High PageRank (> 0.01 default) - Important code - Zero callers from test files (*.test.ts, *.spec.ts, *_test.go) **Output fields**: file, line, kind, name, pagerank, production_callers, test_callers **When to use**: Test coverage analysis, QA planning, identifying critical gaps **Empty Result Handling:** ```bash RESULT=$(claudemem --agent test-gaps ) if [ -z "$RESULT" ] || [ "$RESULT" = "No test gaps found" ]; then echo "Excellent! All high-importance code has test coverage." echo "Consider lowering --min-pagerank threshold for additional coverage." else echo "$RESULT" fi
Static Analysis Limitations:
- •Test file detection based on naming patterns only
- •Integration tests calling code indirectly may not be detected
- •Mocked dependencies may show false positives
claudemem impact <symbol>
Analyze the impact of changing a symbol using BFS traversal.
# Get all transitive callers claudemem --agent impact UserService # Limit depth for large codebases claudemem --agent impact UserService --max-depth 5``` **Algorithm:** - BFS traversal from symbol to all transitive callers - Groups results by depth level - Shows file:line for each caller **Output sections**: direct_callers, transitive_callers (with depth), grouped_by_file **When to use**: Before ANY modification, refactoring planning, risk assessment **Empty Result Handling:** ```bash RESULT=$(claudemem --agent impact FunctionName ) if [ -z "$RESULT" ] || echo "$RESULT" | grep -q "No callers found"; then echo "No callers found - this symbol appears unused or is an entry point." echo "If unused, consider running: claudemem --agent dead-code " echo "If entry point (API handler, main), this is expected." else echo "$RESULT" fi
Static Analysis Limitations:
- •Callback/event-based calls may not be detected
- •Dependency injection containers hide static call relationships
- •External service callers not visible
LLM Enrichment Document Types (v0.2.0+)
Claudemem v0.2.0+ supports LLM-enriched semantic search with specialized document types.
Document Types
| Type | Purpose | Generated By |
|---|---|---|
symbol_summary | Function behavior, params, returns, side effects | LLM analysis |
file_summary | File purpose, exports, architectural patterns | LLM analysis |
idiom | Common patterns in codebase | Pattern detection |
usage_example | How to use APIs | Documentation extraction |
anti_pattern | What NOT to do | Static analysis + LLM |
project_doc | Project-level documentation | README, CLAUDE.md |
Navigation Mode
For agent-optimized search with document type weighting:
# Navigation-focused search (prioritizes summaries)
claudemem --agent search "authentication" --use-case navigation
# Default search (balanced)
claudemem --agent search "authentication"```
**Navigation mode search weights:**
- `symbol_summary`: 1.5x (higher priority)
- `file_summary`: 1.3x (higher priority)
- `code_chunk`: 1.0x (normal)
- `idiom`: 1.2x (higher for pattern discovery)
### Symbol Summary Fields
```yaml
symbol: AuthService.authenticate
file: src/services/auth.ts
line: 45-89
behavior: "Validates user credentials and generates JWT token"
params:
- name: credentials
type: LoginCredentials
description: "Email and password from login form"
returns:
type: AuthResult
description: "JWT token and user profile on success, error on failure"
side_effects:
- "Updates user.lastLogin timestamp"
- "Logs authentication attempt"
- "May trigger rate limiting"
File Summary Fields
file: src/services/auth.ts purpose: "Core authentication service handling login, logout, and session management" exports: - AuthService (class) - authenticate (function) - validateToken (function) patterns: - "Dependency Injection (constructor takes IUserRepository)" - "Factory Pattern (createSession)" - "Strategy Pattern (IAuthProvider interface)" dependencies: - bcrypt (password hashing) - jsonwebtoken (JWT generation) - UserRepository (user data access)
Using Document Types in Investigation
# Find function behavior without reading code claudemem --agent search "processPayment behavior" --use-case navigation # Output includes symbol_summary: # symbol: PaymentService.processPayment # behavior: "Charges customer card via Stripe and saves transaction" # side_effects: ["Updates balance", "Sends receipt email", "Logs to audit"] # Find file purposes for architecture understanding claudemem --agent search "file:services purpose" --use-case navigation # Find anti-patterns to avoid claudemem --agent search "anti_pattern SQL"``` ### Regenerating Enrichments If codebase changes significantly: ```bash # Re-index with LLM enrichment claudemem index --enrich # Or enrich specific files claudemem enrich src/services/payment.ts
Workflow Templates
Standardized investigation patterns for common scenarios. All templates include error handling for empty results and version compatibility checks.
Template 1: Bug Investigation
Trigger: "Why is X broken?", "Find bug", "Root cause"
# Step 1: Locate the symptom SYMBOL=$(claudemem --agent symbol FunctionFromStackTrace ) if [ -z "$SYMBOL" ]; then echo "Symbol not found - check spelling or run: claudemem --agent map 'related keywords' " exit 1 fi # Step 2: Get full context (callers + callees) claudemem --agent context FunctionFromStackTrace # Step 3: Trace backwards to find root cause claudemem --agent callers suspectedSource # Step 4: Check full impact of the bug (v0.4.0+) IMPACT=$(claudemem --agent impact BuggyFunction 2>/dev/null) if [ -n "$IMPACT" ]; then echo "$IMPACT" else echo "Impact analysis requires claudemem v0.4.0+ or no callers found" echo "Fallback: claudemem --agent callers BuggyFunction " fi # Step 5: Read identified file:line ranges # Fix bug, verify callers still work # Step 6: Document impacted code for testing
Output Template:
## Bug Investigation Report **Symptom:** [Description] **Root Cause:** [Location and explanation] **Call Chain:** [How we got here] **Impact Radius:** [What else is affected] **Fix Applied:** [What was changed] **Verification:** [Tests run, callers checked]
Template 2: New Feature Implementation
Trigger: "Add feature", "Implement X", "Extend functionality"
# Step 1: Map the feature area MAP=$(claudemem --agent map "feature area keywords" ) if [ -z "$MAP" ]; then echo "No matches found - try broader keywords" fi # Step 2: Identify extension points claudemem --agent callees ExistingFeature # Step 3: Get full context for modification point claudemem --agent context ModificationPoint # Step 4: Check existing patterns to follow claudemem --agent search "similar pattern" --use-case navigation # Step 5: Implement following existing patterns # Step 6: Check test coverage gaps (v0.4.0+) GAPS=$(claudemem --agent test-gaps 2>/dev/null) if [ -n "$GAPS" ]; then echo "Test gaps to address:" echo "$GAPS" else echo "test-gaps requires v0.4.0+ or no gaps found" fi
Output Template:
## Feature Implementation Plan **Feature:** [Description] **Extension Point:** [Where to add] **Dependencies:** [What it needs] **Pattern to Follow:** [Existing similar code] **Test Requirements:** [Coverage needs]
Template 3: Refactoring
Trigger: "Rename X", "Extract function", "Move code", "Refactor"
# Step 1: Find the symbol to refactor SYMBOL=$(claudemem --agent symbol SymbolToRename ) if [ -z "$SYMBOL" ]; then echo "Symbol not found - check exact name" exit 1 fi # Step 2: Get FULL impact (all transitive callers) (v0.4.0+) IMPACT=$(claudemem --agent impact SymbolToRename 2>/dev/null) if [ -n "$IMPACT" ]; then echo "$IMPACT" # (impact output includes grouped_by_file) else echo "Using fallback (direct callers only):" claudemem --agent callers SymbolToRenamefi # Step 3: Group by file for systematic updates # Step 4: Update each caller location systematically # Step 5: Verify all callers updated claudemem --agent callers NewSymbolName # Step 6: Run affected tests
Output Template:
## Refactoring Report **Original:** [Old name/location] **Target:** [New name/location] **Direct Callers:** [Count] **Transitive Callers:** [Count] **Files Modified:** [List] **Verification:** [All callers updated, tests pass]
Template 4: Architecture Understanding
Trigger: "How does X work?", "Explain architecture", "Onboarding"
# Step 1: Get full structural map MAP=$(claudemem --agent map ) if [ -z "$MAP" ]; then echo "Index may be empty - run: claudemem index" exit 1 fi echo "$MAP" # Step 2: Identify architectural pillars (PageRank > 0.05) # Document top 5 by PageRank # Step 3: For each pillar, get full context claudemem --agent context PillarSymbol # Step 4: Trace major flows via callees claudemem --agent callees EntryPoint # Step 5: Identify dead code (cleanup opportunities) (v0.4.0+) DEAD=$(claudemem --agent dead-code 2>/dev/null) if [ -n "$DEAD" ]; then echo "Dead code found:" echo "$DEAD" else echo "No dead code found (or v0.4.0+ required)" fi # Step 6: Identify test gaps (risk areas) (v0.4.0+) GAPS=$(claudemem --agent test-gaps 2>/dev/null) if [ -n "$GAPS" ]; then echo "Test gaps:" echo "$GAPS" else echo "No test gaps found (or v0.4.0+ required)" fi
Output Template:
## Architecture Report **Core Abstractions (PageRank > 0.05):** 1. [Symbol] - [Role in system] 2. [Symbol] - [Role in system] 3. [Symbol] - [Role in system] **Layer Structure:**
[Presentation Layer] | [Business Layer] | [Data Layer]
**Major Flows:** - [Flow 1: Entry -> Processing -> Output] - [Flow 2: Entry -> Processing -> Output] **Health Indicators:** - Dead Code: [Count] symbols - Test Gaps: [Count] high-importance untested - Tech Debt: [Summary]
Template 5: Security Audit
Trigger: "Security review", "Audit authentication", "Check permissions"
# Step 1: Map security-related code claudemem --agent map "auth permission security token" # Step 2: Find authentication entry points SYMBOL=$(claudemem --agent symbol authenticate ) if [ -z "$SYMBOL" ]; then echo "No 'authenticate' symbol - try: login, verify, validate" fi claudemem --agent callers authenticate # Step 3: Trace authentication flow claudemem --agent callees authenticate # Step 4: Check authorization patterns claudemem --agent map "authorize permission check guard" # Step 5: Find sensitive data handlers claudemem --agent map "password hash token secret key" # Step 6: Check for test coverage on security code (v0.4.0+) GAPS=$(claudemem --agent test-gaps --min-pagerank 0.01 2>/dev/null) if [ -n "$GAPS" ]; then # Filter for security-related symbols echo "$GAPS" | grep -E "(auth|login|password|token|permission|secret)" fi
Output Template:
## Security Audit Report **Authentication:** - Entry Points: [List] - Flow: [Description] - Gaps: [Issues found] **Authorization:** - Permission Checks: [Where implemented] - Coverage: [All routes covered?] **Sensitive Data:** - Password Handling: [How stored/compared] - Token Management: [Generation/validation] - Secrets: [How managed] **Test Coverage:** - Security Code Coverage: [X%] - Critical Gaps: [List] **Recommendations:** 1. [Priority 1 fix] 2. [Priority 2 fix]
Static Analysis Limitations
Claudemem uses static AST analysis. Some patterns are not captured:
Dynamic Imports
// NOT visible to static analysis
const module = await import(`./modules/${name}`);
Result: May show as "dead code" but is actually used dynamically. Action: Mark as "Potentially Dead - Manual Review"
External Callers
// Exported for external use
export function publicAPI() { ... }
Result: May show 0 callers but used by other repositories.
Action: Use --include-exported carefully, or mark as "Externally Called - Manual Review Required"
Reflection/Eval
// NOT visible to static analysis
const fn = obj[methodName]();
eval("functionName()");
Result: Callers not detected.
Action: Search codebase for eval, Object.keys, bracket notation.
Event-Driven Code
// NOT visible as direct callers
emitter.on('event', handler);
document.addEventListener('click', onClick);
Result: handler and onClick may show 0 callers.
Action: Check for event registration patterns.
Dependency Injection
// Container registration hides relationships container.register(IService, ServiceImpl);
Result: ServiceImpl may show 0 callers.
Action: Check DI container configuration.
Scenarios
Scenario 1: Bug Fix
Task: "Fix the null pointer exception in user authentication"
# Step 1: Get overview of auth-related code claudemem --agent map "authentication null pointer" # Step 2: Locate the specific symbol mentioned in error claudemem --agent symbol authenticate # Step 3: Check what calls it (to understand how it's used) claudemem --agent callers authenticate # Step 4: Read the actual code at the identified location # Now you know exactly which file:line to read
Scenario 2: Add New Feature
Task: "Add rate limiting to the API endpoints"
# Step 1: Understand API structure claudemem --agent map "API endpoints rate" # Step 2: Find the main API handler claudemem --agent symbol APIController # Step 3: See what the API controller depends on claudemem --agent callees APIController # Step 4: Check if rate limiting already exists somewhere claudemem --agent search "rate limit" # Step 5: Get full context for the modification point claudemem --agent context APIController``` ### Scenario 3: Refactoring **Task**: "Rename DatabaseConnection to DatabasePool" ```bash # Step 1: Find the symbol claudemem --agent symbol DatabaseConnection # Step 2: Find ALL callers (these all need updating) claudemem --agent callers DatabaseConnection # Step 3: The output shows every file:line that references it # Update each location systematically
Scenario 4: Understanding Unfamiliar Codebase
Task: "How does the indexing pipeline work?"
# Step 1: Get high-level structure claudemem --agent map "indexing pipeline" # Step 2: Find the main entry point (highest PageRank) claudemem --agent symbol Indexer # Step 3: Trace the flow - what does Indexer call? claudemem --agent callees Indexer # Step 4: For each major callee, get its callees claudemem --agent callees VectorStoreclaudemem --agent callees FileTracker # Now you have the full pipeline traced
Token Efficiency Guide
| Action | Token Cost | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
map (focused) | ~500 | Always first - understand structure |
symbol | ~50 | When you know the name |
callers | ~100-500 | Before modifying anything |
callees | ~100-500 | To understand dependencies |
context | ~200-800 | For complex modifications |
search | ~1000-3000 | When you need actual code |
search --map | ~1500-4000 | For unfamiliar codebases |
Optimal order: map → symbol → callers/callees → search (only if needed)
This pattern typically uses 80% fewer tokens than blind exploration.
Integration Pattern for Agents
For maximum efficiency, follow this pattern:
1. RECEIVE TASK ↓ 2. claudemem --agent map "<task keywords>" → Understand structure, identify key symbols ↓ 3. claudemem --agent symbol <high-pagerank-symbol> → Get exact location ↓ 4. claudemem --agent callers <symbol> (if modifying) → Know the impact radius ↓ 5. claudemem --agent callees <symbol> (if needed) → Understand dependencies ↓ 6. READ specific file:line ranges (not whole files) ↓ 7. MAKE CHANGES with full awareness ↓ 8. CHECK callers still work
PageRank: Understanding Symbol Importance
PageRank measures how "central" a symbol is in the codebase:
| PageRank | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
| > 0.05 | Core abstraction | Understand this first - everything depends on it |
| 0.01-0.05 | Important symbol | Key functionality, worth understanding |
| 0.001-0.01 | Standard symbol | Normal code, read as needed |
| < 0.001 | Utility/leaf | Helper functions, read only if directly relevant |
Why PageRank matters:
- •High-PageRank symbols are heavily used → understand them first
- •Low-PageRank symbols are utilities → read later if needed
- •Focus on high-PageRank symbols to understand architecture quickly
💡 Better Approaches (Recommended Patterns)
Claudemem provides more efficient alternatives to common search patterns:
| Instead of... | Try this | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
cat src/core/*.ts | head -1000 | claudemem --agent map "task" | Saves tokens, finds relevant files |
grep -r "Database" src/ | claudemem --agent symbol Database | Semantic relationships, not just strings |
| Edit without caller check | claudemem --agent callers X first | Know what depends on your changes |
| Search immediately | map first, then search | Context improves search accuracy |
| Read every matching file | Focus on high-PageRank symbols | Core code first, utilities later |
claudemem search "query" | claudemem --agent search "query" | Clean output without ASCII art |
Why These Patterns Work Better
- •Token Efficiency:
mapidentifies relevant files before reading, avoiding wasted context - •Semantic Understanding:
symbolandcallersunderstand code relationships, not just text - •Impact Awareness:
callersreveals dependencies before you modify code - •PageRank Guidance: High-PageRank symbols are heavily connected - understand them first
Output Handling
Tip: Use Complete Claudemem Output
Results are ranked by PageRank - most important symbols appear first. Using the complete output ensures you see all relevant results.
Managing Large Output
If output is too large, use built-in flags instead of truncating:
| Flag | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
--tokens N | Limit by token count | claudemem --agent map "query" --tokens 2000 |
-n N | Limit result count | claudemem --agent search "auth" -n 10 |
--page-size N | Pagination | claudemem --agent search "x" --page-size 20 |
--max-depth N | Limit traversal | claudemem --agent context Func --max-depth 3 |
Tip: Piping to file preserves full output: claudemem --agent map "query" > /tmp/map.txt
Quick Reference: Recommended Patterns
| Instead of... | Try this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Read files blindly | map first, then read specific lines | Ranked results, less tokens |
grep -r "auth" | claudemem --agent symbol auth | Semantic understanding |
| Modify without callers | callers before any modification | Avoid breaking changes |
| Search immediately | map → symbol → search | Structural context first |
cmd | head | Use -n or --tokens flags | Output is pre-optimized |
The Correct Workflow Diagram
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ CORRECT INVESTIGATION FLOW (v0.3.0) │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ │ │ 1. claudemem --agent map "task" │ │ → Understand structure, find high-PageRank symbols │ │ │ │ 2. claudemem --agent symbol <name> │ │ → Get exact file:line location │ │ │ │ 3. claudemem --agent callers <name> │ │ → Know impact radius BEFORE modifying │ │ │ │ 4. claudemem --agent callees <name> │ │ → Understand dependencies │ │ │ │ 5. Read specific file:line ranges (NOT whole files) │ │ │ │ 6. Make changes with full awareness │ │ │ │ ⚠️ NEVER: Start with Read/Glob for semantic questions │ │ ⚠️ NEVER: Modify without checking callers │ │ ⚠️ NEVER: Search without mapping first │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Installation & Setup
Check Installation
# Check if claudemem CLI is available which claudemem || command -v claudemem # Check version (must be 0.3.0+) claudemem --version
Installation Options
# npm (recommended) npm install -g claude-codemem # Homebrew (macOS) brew tap MadAppGang/claude-mem && brew install --cask claudemem
Index Codebase
# Index current project claudemem index # Check status claudemem --version && ls -la .claudemem/index.db 2>/dev/null
Framework Documentation (v0.7.0+) ⭐NEW
Claudemem v0.7.0+ includes automatic framework documentation fetching for your project dependencies. Documentation is indexed alongside your code, enabling unified semantic search across both.
Quick Reference
# Core documentation commands claudemem docs status # Show indexed libraries and cache state claudemem docs fetch # Fetch docs for all detected dependencies claudemem docs fetch react vue # Fetch specific libraries claudemem docs providers # List available documentation providers claudemem docs refresh # Force refresh all cached documentation claudemem docs clear # Clear all documentation cache claudemem docs clear react # Clear specific library cache
Documentation Providers
Claudemem uses a provider hierarchy with automatic fallback:
| Priority | Provider | Coverage | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Best) | Context7 | 6000+ libraries with versioned code examples | API key (free tier available) |
| 2 | llms.txt | Official AI-friendly docs from framework sites | Free, no key needed |
| 3 | DevDocs | Consistent offline documentation, 100+ languages | Free, no key needed |
Dependency Detection
Claudemem automatically detects dependencies from:
| File | Ecosystem | Example |
|---|---|---|
package.json | npm/yarn | React, Vue, Express |
requirements.txt | Python/pip | Django, FastAPI, Pandas |
go.mod | Go | Gin, Echo, GORM |
Cargo.toml | Rust | Tokio, Actix, Serde |
Setup
# Option 1: Run init (includes docs configuration) claudemem init # Option 2: Configure Context7 manually (optional, for best coverage) export CONTEXT7_API_KEY=your_key # Get free API key at: https://context7.com/dashboard
Usage Examples
# Check current documentation status claudemem docs status # Output: # 📚 Documentation Status # # Enabled: Yes # Providers: Context7, llms.txt, DevDocs # Libraries: 12 indexed # Cache Age: 2h 15m # # Indexed Libraries: # react (v18) via Context7 - 145 chunks # typescript (v5) via Context7 - 89 chunks # express (v4) via llms.txt - 34 chunks # ... # Fetch documentation for all project dependencies claudemem docs fetch # Output: # 📚 Fetching Documentation # # [1/8] react... ✓ 145 chunks via Context7 # [2/8] typescript... ✓ 89 chunks via Context7 # [3/8] express... ✓ 34 chunks via llms.txt # [4/8] lodash... ✓ 67 chunks via DevDocs # ... # Fetch specific library claudemem docs fetch fastapi # View available providers claudemem docs providers # Force refresh (clears cache, refetches) claudemem docs refresh
Unified Search (Code + Documentation)
After indexing documentation, claudemem search returns results from both your codebase and framework documentation:
claudemem --agent search "how to use React hooks" # Output includes: # --- Your Code --- # file: src/components/UserProfile.tsx # line: 12-45 # kind: function # name: useUserProfile # score: 0.89 # content: Custom hook for user profile management... # --- # --- React Documentation --- # library: react # section: Hooks Reference # title: useEffect # score: 0.87 # content: The useEffect Hook lets you perform side effects... # --- # library: react # section: Hooks Reference # title: useState # score: 0.85 # content: useState is a Hook that lets you add state...
When to Use Documentation Commands
| Scenario | Command | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New project setup | claudemem docs fetch | Index docs for all dependencies |
| Learning new library | claudemem docs fetch <library> | Get searchable reference |
| Updated dependencies | claudemem docs refresh | Refresh to get new versions |
| Check what's indexed | claudemem docs status | View cache state |
| Clear space | claudemem docs clear | Remove cached documentation |
Integration with Investigation Workflow
Add documentation fetch to your investigation workflow:
# ENHANCED Investigation Workflow (v0.7.0+) # Step 0: Ensure framework docs are available (one-time) claudemem docs status || claudemem docs fetch # Step 1: Map architecture (now includes library patterns) claudemem --agent map "authentication" # Step 2: Search both code AND framework docs claudemem --agent search "JWT token validation"# Returns: your auth code + library docs on JWT handling # Step 3: Understand how the library recommends usage claudemem --agent search "react best practices hooks"# Returns: your patterns + React official guidance
Version Information
The claudemem docs command requires v0.7.0+. Check your version:
claudemem --version # Expected: 0.7.0 or higher
Note: If claudemem docs help returns "Unknown command", upgrade your claudemem installation.
Search Feedback Protocol (v0.8.0+) ⭐NEW
Claudemem learns from your search patterns. After completing a task, report which search results were helpful to improve future searches.
Why Feedback Matters
| Feedback Type | Effect | Over Time |
|---|---|---|
| Helpful | +10% boost | Files you consistently use rank higher |
| Unhelpful | -10% demotion | Irrelevant results rank lower |
| Document Type | Type weighting | Helpful types (e.g., symbol_summary) get priority |
CLI Interface
# After using search results, report feedback claudemem feedback --query "your original query" \ --helpful id1,id2 \ --unhelpful id3,id4 # Result IDs are shown in search output: claudemem search "authentication" --agent# Output includes: # id: abc123 # file: src/auth/middleware.ts # ...
MCP Interface
{
"tool": "report_search_feedback",
"arguments": {
"query": "authentication flow",
"allResultIds": ["id1", "id2", "id3"],
"helpfulIds": ["id1"],
"unhelpfulIds": ["id3"]
}
}
When to Track as Helpful
A result should be marked as helpful when:
- •The file was read and contained relevant information
- •The code was used to understand the problem
- •The symbol was part of the call chain being traced
- •The file contributed to the final answer
When to Track as Unhelpful
A result should be marked as unhelpful when:
- •The file was read but contained irrelevant information
- •The result was a false positive (matched query but wrong context)
- •The file was skipped after reading initial content
- •The symbol was not related to the investigation
When NOT to Track
Do not track feedback for:
- •Results from
mapcommand (structural overview, not semantic search) - •Results from
symbolcommand (exact lookup, not search) - •Results from
callers/calleescommands (call graph, not search) - •Only
searchcommand results should have feedback
Integration with Workflow Templates
Add feedback reporting to the end of each workflow template:
# Template 1: Bug Investigation (add at end)
# Step 7: Report feedback
if [ -n "$SEARCH_QUERY" ] && [ -n "$HELPFUL_IDS" ]; then
# Check if feedback is available (v0.8.0+)
if claudemem feedback --help 2>&1 | grep -qi "feedback"; then
timeout 5 claudemem feedback --query "$SEARCH_QUERY" \
--helpful "${HELPFUL_IDS}" \
--unhelpful "${UNHELPFUL_IDS}" 2>/dev/null || true
else
echo "Note: Search feedback requires claudemem v0.8.0+"
fi
fi
Feedback Workflow Example
# Full investigation with feedback tracking
# 0. Check if feedback is available (v0.8.0+)
FEEDBACK_AVAILABLE=false
if claudemem feedback --help 2>&1 | grep -qi "feedback"; then
FEEDBACK_AVAILABLE=true
else
echo "Note: Search feedback requires claudemem v0.8.0+"
fi
# 1. Search and capture IDs
RESULTS=$(claudemem --agent search "payment processing" -n 10 )
ALL_IDS=$(echo "$RESULTS" | grep "^id:" | awk '{print $2}')
SEARCH_QUERY="payment processing"
# 2. Initialize tracking arrays
HELPFUL=()
UNHELPFUL=()
# 3. Process results (during investigation)
# When you read a result and it's useful:
HELPFUL+=("abc123")
# When you read a result and it's not relevant:
UNHELPFUL+=("def456")
# 4. Report feedback (at end of investigation)
if [ "$FEEDBACK_AVAILABLE" = true ] && ([ ${#HELPFUL[@]} -gt 0 ] || [ ${#UNHELPFUL[@]} -gt 0 ]); then
timeout 5 claudemem feedback \
--query "$SEARCH_QUERY" \
--helpful "$(IFS=,; echo "${HELPFUL[*]}")" \
--unhelpful "$(IFS=,; echo "${UNHELPFUL[*]}")" \
2>/dev/null || echo "Note: Feedback not sent (optional)"
fi
Quality Checklist Update
Add to the existing Quality Checklist:
- • Tracked result IDs during search (if using
searchcommand) - • Reported feedback at end of investigation (if applicable)
Index Freshness Check (v0.5.0)
Before proceeding with investigation, verify the index is current:
# Count files modified since last index
STALE_COUNT=$(find . -type f \( -name "*.ts" -o -name "*.tsx" -o -name "*.js" -o -name "*.jsx" -o -name "*.py" -o -name "*.go" -o -name "*.rs" \) \
-newer .claudemem/index.db 2>/dev/null | grep -v "node_modules" | grep -v ".git" | grep -v "dist" | grep -v "build" | wc -l)
STALE_COUNT=$((STALE_COUNT + 0)) # Normalize to integer
if [ "$STALE_COUNT" -gt 0 ]; then
# Get index time with explicit platform detection
if [[ "$OSTYPE" == "darwin"* ]]; then
INDEX_TIME=$(stat -f "%Sm" -t "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M" .claudemem/index.db 2>/dev/null)
else
INDEX_TIME=$(stat -c "%y" .claudemem/index.db 2>/dev/null | cut -d'.' -f1)
fi
INDEX_TIME=${INDEX_TIME:-"unknown time"}
# Use AskUserQuestion to ask user how to proceed
# Options: [1] Reindex now (Recommended), [2] Proceed with stale index, [3] Cancel
fi
AskUserQuestion Template:
AskUserQuestion({
questions: [{
question: `${STALE_COUNT} files have been modified since the last index (${INDEX_TIME}). The claudemem index may be outdated, which could cause missing or incorrect results. How would you like to proceed?`,
header: "Index Freshness Warning",
multiSelect: false,
options: [
{
label: "Reindex now (Recommended)",
description: "Run claudemem index to update. Takes ~1-2 minutes."
},
{
label: "Proceed with stale index",
description: "Continue investigation. May miss recent code changes."
},
{
label: "Cancel investigation",
description: "I'll handle this manually."
}
]
}]
})
Result Validation Guidelines
After Every Command
- •Check exit code - Non-zero indicates failure
- •Check for empty results - May need reindex or different query
- •Validate relevance - Results should match query semantics
Validation Examples
# map validation
RESULTS=$(claudemem --agent map "authentication" )
EXIT_CODE=$?
if [ "$EXIT_CODE" -ne 0 ]; then
echo "ERROR: claudemem command failed"
# Diagnose index health
DIAGNOSIS=$(claudemem --version && ls -la .claudemem/index.db 2>&1)
# Use AskUserQuestion
fi
if [ -z "$RESULTS" ]; then
echo "WARNING: No results found - may need reindex or different query"
# Use AskUserQuestion
fi
if ! echo "$RESULTS" | grep -qi "auth\|login\|user\|session"; then
echo "WARNING: Results may not be relevant to authentication query"
# Use AskUserQuestion
fi
# symbol validation
RESULTS=$(claudemem --agent symbol UserService )
if ! echo "$RESULTS" | grep -q "name: UserService"; then
echo "WARNING: UserService not found - check spelling or reindex"
# Use AskUserQuestion
fi
# search validation
RESULTS=$(claudemem --agent search "error handling" )
MATCH_COUNT=0
for kw in error handling catch try; do
if echo "$RESULTS" | grep -qi "$kw"; then
MATCH_COUNT=$((MATCH_COUNT + 1))
fi
done
if [ "$MATCH_COUNT" -lt 2 ]; then
echo "WARNING: Results may not be relevant to error handling query"
# Use AskUserQuestion
fi
Fallback Options
If claudemem returns no results or the index isn't available:
- •Check index status - Run
claudemem statusto verify - •Try different query - Rephrase or use more specific terms
- •Reindex if needed - Run
claudemem index(~1-2 min) - •Native tools available - grep/Glob work but without semantic ranking
Using Native Tools
Native search tools (grep, Glob, find) are available when needed. They work well for:
- •Exact string matches
- •File pattern searches
- •When the index isn't available
For bypass, use: _bypass_claudemem: true in tool input.
Comparison
| Feature | claudemem | grep/Glob |
|---|---|---|
| Semantic understanding | ✓ | - |
| Call graph analysis | ✓ | - |
| PageRank ranking | ✓ | - |
| Exact string match | ✓ | ✓ |
| Works without index | - | ✓ |
Tip: After using native tools, consider running claudemem index to enable
semantic search for future investigations.
See ultrathink-detective skill for complete Fallback Protocol documentation.
Quality Checklist
Before completing a claudemem workflow, ensure:
- • claudemem CLI is installed (v0.3.0+)
- • Codebase is indexed (check with
claudemem status) - • Checked index freshness before starting ⭐NEW in v0.5.0
- • Started with
mapto understand structure ⭐CRITICAL - • Used
--agentfor all commands - • Validated results after every command ⭐NEW in v0.5.0
- • Checked
callersbefore modifying any symbol - • Focused on high-PageRank symbols first
- • Read only specific file:line ranges (not whole files)
- • Never silently switched to grep ⭐NEW in v0.5.0
- • Reported search feedback if
searchcommand was used ⭐NEW in v0.8.0
Notes
- •Requires OpenRouter API key for embeddings (https://openrouter.ai)
- •Default model:
voyage/voyage-code-3(best code understanding) - •All data stored locally in
.claudemem/directory - •Tree-sitter provides AST parsing for TypeScript, Go, Python, Rust
- •PageRank based on symbol call graph analysis
- •Can run as MCP server with
--mcpflag - •Initial indexing takes ~1-2 minutes for typical projects
- •NEW in v0.3.0:
map,symbol,callers,callees,contextcommands - •NEW in v0.3.0: PageRank ranking for symbol importance
- •NEW in v0.3.0:
--agentflag for clean, parseable output - •NEW in v0.4.0:
dead-code,test-gaps,impactcommands for code analysis - •NEW in v0.4.0: BFS traversal for transitive caller analysis
- •NEW in v0.7.0:
docscommand for framework documentation fetching - •NEW in v0.7.0: Context7, llms.txt, DevDocs documentation providers
- •NEW in v0.7.0: Unified search across code AND framework documentation
- •NEW in v0.7.0: Auto-detection of dependencies from package.json, requirements.txt, go.mod, Cargo.toml
Maintained by: Jack Rudenko @ MadAppGang Plugin: code-analysis v2.8.0 Last Updated: December 2025 (v0.8.0 - Search feedback protocol)