NeuralVaultCore
An MCP server that provides persistent long-term memory for AI agents via local SQLite storage with low token overhead, enabling memory storage, retrieval, and management across sessions.
README
<div align="center"> <a href="https://github.com/getobyte/NeuralVaultCore"> <img src="https://github.com/getobyte/NeuralVaultCore/raw/main/NVC-logo.png" width="260"/> </a>
NeuralVaultCore v1.0
Infinite long-term memory for AI agents โ local, private, low-token.
Any AI agent with MCP support gets persistent memory across sessions.
Single-user, local-first. Your data never leaves your machine.
</div>
๐ Ecosystem
NeuralVaultCore is the foundation. Build on top of it with the full NeuralVault stack:
| Component | Role |
|---|---|
| ๐ง NeuralVaultCore (you are here) | MCP memory server โ the brain |
| โก NeuralVaultSkill | Session memory automation โ /nvc:init + /nvc:end |
| ๐งน NeuralVaultArchivist | Memory consolidation โ on-demand cleanup |
| ๐ ๏ธ NeuralSkillBuilder | Skill builder โ design, scaffold and audit Claude Code skills |
| ๐ NeuralVaultFlow | Dev workflow โ brainstorm, plan, execute, audit, deploy |
โ ๏ธ Prerequisites
NeuralVaultCore is the memory server โ but without a skill prompt, your agent won't know how to use it efficiently.
At minimum, install NeuralVaultSkill alongside this server.
๐ก Why Low-Token Matters
Most MCP servers waste thousands of tokens on verbose output.
NeuralVaultCore cuts overhead by up to 7ร using smart truncation and pipe-delimited ASCII responses.
โจ Features
๐ง Core Memory
- Persistent long-term memory across sessions โ agents remember everything
- Local-first SQLite storage โ zero cloud, zero telemetry
- Namespace separation for clean project/context isolation
_statecheckpoint memory for instant project continuity- Automatic version history (up to 5 versions per record) with restore support
- Storage statistics and health visibility
๐ค MCP / Agent Tools
- Full tool suite:
store_memory,retrieve_memory,search_memories,list_all_memories,get_context,delete_memory,get_versions,restore_version,get_stats - Token-efficient compact responses โ up to 7ร less overhead
- Output truncation and view modes (
head_tail,full) - Full-text search (FTS5) + optional semantic search (all-MiniLM-L6-v2)
- SSE transport with Bearer-token authentication for remote access
๐ฅ๏ธ Web Dashboard
<div align="center"> <img src="https://github.com/getobyte/NeuralVaultCore/raw/main/Screenshots/dashboard.png" width="800"/> <p><em>Dashboard โ totals, DB size, namespaces and recent memories</em></p> </div>
<div align="center"> <img src="https://github.com/getobyte/NeuralVaultCore/raw/main/Screenshots/Memories.png" width="800"/> <p><em>Memories โ full directory with namespace filter, tags and pagination</em></p> </div>
<div align="center"> <img src="https://github.com/getobyte/NeuralVaultCore/raw/main/Screenshots/calendar.png" width="800"/> <p><em>Calendar โ monthly memory timeline with day drill-down</em></p> </div>
- Dashboard โ totals, DB size, namespaces and recent memories at a glance
- Memories โ full directory with namespace filter, tags, pagination
- Memory detail โ metadata, tags, content view, version history, delete
- Calendar โ monthly timeline with day drill-down
- Search โ interactive full-text memory lookup
- New Memory โ manual memory entry
- Import โ JSON, Markdown, Obsidian, Notion, plain text
- Export โ preview and download
- Theme switching and keyboard shortcuts
โ๏ธ Automation & Capture
- Shell command auto-capture for Bash, Zsh and PowerShell
- File watcher for directory changes
- Activity summarization
- Background daemon mode with automatic daily backups
๐ฅ Import / Export
- Import from: JSON, plain text, Markdown folders, Obsidian vaults, Notion exports
- Export to: JSON and plain text
- Migration from ContextKeep JSON (
nvc migrate)
๐ง Admin & Maintenance
- Installer wizard โ venv, deps, search model, MCP config, all automated
- Config generation for Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, OpenCode
nvc doctorโ diagnostic checksnvc repairโ DB maintenance and optimizationnvc backup/nvc restore-backupโ manual backup and restore- Schema migration support
๐ Ports
| Service | Port | URL |
|---|---|---|
| MCP Server | 9998 |
http://localhost:9998/sse |
| Web Dashboard | 9999 |
http://localhost:9999 |
๐ Installation
Option 1 โ Installer Wizard (Recommended)
git clone https://github.com/getobyte/NeuralVaultCore.git
cd NeuralVaultCore
python install.py
The wizard will:
- Create a Python virtual environment
- Install all dependencies
- Download the semantic search model (~80 MB)
- Generate
.envwith a secure API key - Initialize the SQLite database
- Generate
mcp_config.jsonfor your IDE - Ask which deployment profile to use
- Ask if you want shell auto-capture hooks
Deployment profiles:
| Profile | Use case |
|---|---|
local-stdio |
Single IDE, no web UI, simplest setup |
local-ui |
Local use + web dashboard on localhost:9999 (recommended) |
remote-homelab |
Network access with Bearer-token auth + Docker |
Option 2 โ Manual Setup
git clone https://github.com/getobyte/NeuralVaultCore.git
cd NeuralVaultCore
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate # Linux / macOS
venv\Scripts\activate # Windows
pip install -e ".[full]"
nvc init
nvc print-config --client claude-code
Option 3 โ Docker (LAN / Homelab)
Step 1 โ Clone and configure:
git clone https://github.com/getobyte/NeuralVaultCore.git
cd NeuralVaultCore
cp .env.example .env
Step 2 โ Generate an API key and paste it into .env at NVC_API_KEY:
python -c "import secrets; print('nvc_' + secrets.token_hex(24))"
Step 3 โ Start the containers:
docker compose up -d
This starts two services:
nvc-mcpโ MCP server on port9998nvc-webuiโ Web dashboard on port9999
Step 4 โ Find your server IP:
ip addr | grep "inet " | grep -v 127.0.0.1 # Linux
ipconfig | findstr "IPv4" # Windows
ifconfig | grep "inet " | grep -v 127.0.0.1 # macOS
๐ Connecting to Your Client
NeuralVaultCore works with any MCP-compatible client. Choose your setup below.
Claude Code (CLI)
Generate config automatically:
nvc print-config --client claude-code
Or add manually to ~/.claude.json:
Local (stdio):
{
"mcpServers": {
"neural-vault-core": {
"command": "/path/to/NeuralVaultCore/venv/bin/python",
"args": ["/path/to/NeuralVaultCore/server.py"]
}
}
}
Remote / Docker (SSE):
{
"mcpServers": {
"neural-vault-core": {
"url": "http://<YOUR_SERVER_IP>:9998/sse",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer nvc_YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}
Then install the skill:
npx github:getobyte/NeuralVaultSkill --global
Restart Claude Code and use /nvc:init to start a session.
Cursor
Generate config automatically:
nvc print-config --client cursor
Or add manually to .cursor/mcp.json (global) or <project>/.cursor/mcp.json (local):
Local (stdio):
{
"mcpServers": {
"neural-vault-core": {
"command": "/path/to/NeuralVaultCore/venv/bin/python",
"args": ["/path/to/NeuralVaultCore/server.py"]
}
}
}
Remote / Docker (SSE):
{
"mcpServers": {
"neural-vault-core": {
"url": "http://<YOUR_SERVER_IP>:9998/sse",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer nvc_YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}
Then install the skill โ paste the contents of SKILL.md into Cursor's System Prompt or run:
curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/getobyte/NeuralVaultSkill/main/SKILL.md > .cursorrules
VS Code (with Copilot / Continue / Cline)
Generate config:
nvc print-config --client vscode
Or add to .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace:
{
"servers": {
"neural-vault-core": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "/path/to/NeuralVaultCore/venv/bin/python",
"args": ["/path/to/NeuralVaultCore/server.py"]
}
}
}
For Continue extension, add to ~/.continue/config.json:
{
"mcpServers": [
{
"name": "neural-vault-core",
"command": "/path/to/NeuralVaultCore/venv/bin/python",
"args": ["/path/to/NeuralVaultCore/server.py"]
}
]
}
For Cline extension, add via Settings โ Cline โ MCP Servers.
Paste the contents of SKILL.md into your extension's system prompt field.
OpenCode
Generate config:
nvc print-config --client opencode
Or add to ~/.config/opencode/config.json:
{
"mcp": {
"neural-vault-core": {
"command": "/path/to/NeuralVaultCore/venv/bin/python",
"args": ["/path/to/NeuralVaultCore/server.py"]
}
}
}
Paste the contents of SKILL.md into your system prompt.
Ollama (with Open WebUI or AnythingLLM)
Ollama itself does not implement MCP natively. Connect via Open WebUI or AnythingLLM which both support MCP tool servers.
Start NeuralVaultCore in SSE mode:
nvc serve --transport sse --host 0.0.0.0 --port 9998
Then configure your frontend to point to http://localhost:9998/sse (see Open WebUI and AnythingLLM sections below).
Paste the contents of SKILL.md into your model's system prompt in the UI.
Open WebUI
Start NeuralVaultCore in SSE mode first:
nvc serve --transport sse --host 0.0.0.0 --port 9998
In Open WebUI:
- Go to Settings โ Tools (or Admin โ Tools)
- Click Add Tool Server
- Set URL to
http://localhost:9998/sse - If auth is enabled, add header:
Authorization: Bearer nvc_YOUR_API_KEY - Save and enable the tool server
Then in any chat, click the tools icon and enable neural-vault-core.
Paste the contents of SKILL.md into your model's system prompt.
LM Studio
Start NeuralVaultCore in SSE mode:
nvc serve --transport sse --host 0.0.0.0 --port 9998
In LM Studio:
- Go to Developer โ MCP Servers
- Click Add MCP Server
- Set type to SSE
- Set URL to
http://localhost:9998/sse - If auth is enabled, add the Authorization header
Paste the contents of SKILL.md into the System Prompt field of your chat preset.
OpenAI Codex CLI
Start NeuralVaultCore in SSE mode:
nvc serve --transport sse --host 0.0.0.0 --port 9998
Add to your Codex config (~/.codex/config.toml or equivalent):
[[mcp_servers]]
name = "neural-vault-core"
url = "http://localhost:9998/sse"
[mcp_servers.headers]
Authorization = "Bearer nvc_YOUR_API_KEY"
Paste the contents of SKILL.md into your system prompt instructions file.
AnythingLLM
Start NeuralVaultCore in SSE mode:
nvc serve --transport sse --host 0.0.0.0 --port 9998
In AnythingLLM:
- Go to Settings โ Agent Skills โ Custom MCP Servers
- Add a new server with URL
http://localhost:9998/sse - If auth is enabled, add:
Authorization: Bearer nvc_YOUR_API_KEY - Enable the server
Paste the contents of SKILL.md into the workspace system prompt.
Any MCP-Compatible Client (Generic)
Start the server in the appropriate mode:
# stdio mode (local, single process)
nvc serve --transport stdio
# SSE mode (remote, network accessible)
nvc serve --transport sse --host 0.0.0.0 --port 9998
stdio config:
{
"mcpServers": {
"neural-vault-core": {
"command": "python",
"args": ["/path/to/NeuralVaultCore/server.py"]
}
}
}
SSE config:
{
"mcpServers": {
"neural-vault-core": {
"url": "http://localhost:9998/sse",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer nvc_YOUR_API_KEY"
}
}
}
}
Then paste SKILL.md contents into your agent's system prompt.
โก Installing NeuralVaultSkill
NeuralVaultSkill teaches your agent how to use NeuralVaultCore efficiently โ when to save, how to resume, and how to stay within token limits.
Claude Code (slash commands)
npx github:getobyte/NeuralVaultSkill --global # all workspaces
npx github:getobyte/NeuralVaultSkill --local # current project only
This installs /nvc:init and /nvc:end as slash commands in Claude Code.
Cursor / VS Code / Any IDE
curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/getobyte/NeuralVaultSkill/main/SKILL.md > .cursorrules
Or copy SKILL.md manually and paste into your IDE's system prompt field.
Ollama / LM Studio / Open WebUI / AnythingLLM
Copy the full contents of SKILL.md and paste it into the System Prompt of your model or chat preset. The skill is plain text โ it works with any model that follows instructions.
Usage
/nvc:init โ loads project context at session start
/nvc:end โ saves a short _state checkpoint at session end
Between those two commands, the agent saves important decisions autonomously in the background.
๐งน NeuralVaultArchivist โ Memory Consolidation
Over time, memories accumulate. The Archivist consolidates overlapping fragments into a single canonical master record โ without deleting anything.
Install
Copy the contents of SKILL.md and paste it as a System Prompt in a new chat session when you need to run maintenance.
Usage
Trigger with natural language:
"Consolidate memories for the auth-system namespace."
"Merge all overlapping memories related to deployment."
"Clean up project:myapp memories, but do not delete anything."
The Archivist will:
- Search for all related memory fragments
- Synthesize them into one canonical master record
- Save the consolidated record
- Report which source memories were used and suggest cleanup candidates (without deleting)
๐ NeuralVaultFlow โ Full Dev Workflow
Once your memory is set up, use NeuralVaultFlow to orchestrate the full development cycle with NVC persistence baked in at every step.
npx github:getobyte/NeuralVaultFlow --global
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
/nvc:brainstorm |
Structured requirements gathering |
/nvc:plan |
Executable plan with acceptance criteria |
/nvc:execute |
Step-by-step execution with verify loops |
/nvc:audit |
Static analysis โ dead code, errors, security |
/nvc:review |
Opinionated code review |
/nvc:seo |
Technical SEO audit |
/nvc:geo |
AI search visibility (GEO Score 0โ100) |
/nvc:perf |
Performance audit |
/nvc:security |
OWASP Top 10 + exploit scenarios |
/nvc:deploy |
Pre-deployment gate โ blocks on CRITICAL failures |
Every command reads from and writes to NeuralVaultCore โ so your brainstorm, plans, and audit results persist across sessions automatically.
๐ ๏ธ NeuralSkillBuilder โ Build Your Own Skills
Want to create custom Claude Code skills that integrate with NeuralVaultCore? Use NeuralSkillBuilder.
npx github:getobyte/NeuralSkillBuilder --global
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
/nvc:skill discover |
Guided 6-phase interview to design a new skill |
/nvc:skill scaffold |
Generate a complete skill directory from a spec |
/nvc:skill distill |
Transform raw knowledge into framework chunks |
/nvc:skill audit |
Check compliance against NVC skill conventions |
The discovery phase includes a dedicated step for designing NVC integration โ which keys to read, which events trigger saves, and what namespace convention to use.
๐ ๏ธ CLI Reference
Core Operations
nvc store <key> <content> [--tags t1,t2] [--ns default]
nvc get <key> [--ns default]
nvc search <query> [--ns ...]
nvc list [--limit 50] [--keys_only]
nvc delete <key> [--ns default] [--yes]
nvc stats
nvc namespaces
Versioning
nvc versions <key> [--ns default]
nvc restore <key> <version> [--ns default]
Workflow
nvc checkpoint <namespace> <content>
# Example:
nvc checkpoint project:myapp "Finished auth refactor. Next: write tests."
Import / Export
nvc export [output.json]
nvc import <file.json>
nvc import-from markdown ./docs/ [--ns project:docs]
nvc import-from obsidian ./vault/ [--ns project:notes]
nvc import-from notion ./notion-export/ [--ns project:notion]
nvc import-from text ./notes.txt
nvc import-from json ./backup.json
nvc migrate ./path/to/contextkeep/memories/
Automation
nvc install-hooks --shell bash
nvc install-hooks --shell zsh
nvc install-hooks --shell powershell
nvc uninstall-hooks
nvc watch ./src/ --interval 2
nvc summarize
nvc daemon start [--watch ./src/]
nvc daemon stop
nvc daemon status
Maintenance
nvc doctor
nvc repair
nvc backup [output.bak]
nvc restore-backup <file.bak>
nvc setup-model
nvc dashboard # Web UI โ http://localhost:9999
Server
nvc serve --transport stdio
nvc serve --transport sse --port 9998
nvc print-config --client claude-code
nvc print-config --client cursor
nvc print-config --client vscode
nvc print-config --client opencode
๐๏ธ Architecture
NeuralVaultCore/
โโโ core/
โ โโโ storage.py # SQLite storage engine
โ โโโ service.py # Business logic
โ โโโ auth.py # API key authentication
โ โโโ config.py # Environment config
โ โโโ doctor.py # Diagnostic checks
โ โโโ repair.py # DB optimization
โ โโโ importers.py # Notion / Obsidian / Markdown importers
โ โโโ shell_capture.py # Shell hook capture
โ โโโ watcher.py # File watcher
โ โโโ summarizer.py # Activity summarizer
โ โโโ daemon.py # Background daemon
โ โโโ migration.py # Schema migrations
โโโ hooks/
โ โโโ bash_hook.sh # Bash auto-capture
โ โโโ zsh_hook.sh # Zsh auto-capture
โ โโโ powershell_hook.ps1 # PowerShell auto-capture
โ โโโ nvc-daemon.service # systemd service unit
โโโ NVC-BaseUI/ # React 19 + TypeScript + Tailwind 4 + shadcn
โโโ server.py # MCP server entry point (stdio / sse)
โโโ webui.py # Web dashboard server โ port 9999
โโโ nvc.py # CLI entry point
โโโ install.py # Installer wizard
๐ Security
| Area | Details |
|---|---|
| API Keys | nvc_ prefix, 52 chars, constant-time comparison |
| Auth | Bearer token required for remote/homelab setups |
| Privacy | Zero telemetry, zero cloud, fully local |
| Transport | SSE over HTTP โ add Nginx/Caddy reverse proxy for HTTPS in production |
๐ฆ Storage Limits
These limits apply per record โ total database size is only limited by your local disk space.
| Field | Per-record limit |
|---|---|
| Key | 256 chars |
| Title | 512 chars |
| Content | 1 MB |
| Versions | 5 |
<div align="center">
NeuralVaultCore v1.0 โ Cyber-Draco Legacy
Built by getobyte ยท Romania ๐ท๐ด
</div>
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