Basic Memory
Last tested 2026-10-22
Score 93/100 · Last tested 2026-10-22 · Version tested 0.23.2 · Package basic-memory · Repo basicmachines-co/basic-memory
Summary: Basic Memory completed an MCP handshake without credentials and exposed 21 tools.
Test results
| Test | Result | Points | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| install | pass | 20 | uv pip install basic-memory (Python venv, Linux) succeeded in 0s. |
| handshake | pass | 30 | MCP initialize + tools/list over stdio succeeded with no credentials; 21 tools listed in 7.4s. |
| maintenance | pass | 25 | Repo pushed 0 days before test; 4,310 GitHub stars. |
| docs | pass | 15 | README over 3,000 chars; install instructions present; mcpServers config example present. Automated check of the package's own README (PyPI long_description (package README)). |
| license | partial | 3 | License not machine-detected as OSI (AGPL-3.0-or-later). |
Local-model readiness
Schema context cost: ~7,293 tokens for 21 tools (33,457 bytes) · about 89% of an 8k context. Method: tiktoken cl100k_base over compact JSON of name+description+inputSchema (approximate).
Small-model friendly (schema heuristic, not a model result): medium.
Small-model task runs: Not yet tested.
Functional tasks (2/2 passed, tested 2026-10-22)
| Task | Tool | Result | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| store entity | write_note | pass | [{"text":"# Created note\nproject: main\nfile_path: TestedMCPProbe1792649749205/TestedMCPProbe1792649749205.md\npermalink: main/tested-mcpprobe1792649749205/tes |
| retrieve entity | search_notes | pass | [{"text":"# Search Results: TestedMCPProbe1792649749205\n*project: main*\n\n### TestedMCPProbe1792649749205\n- permalink: main/tested-mcpprobe1792649749205/test |
Not tested
We did not test behavior with real credentials, security, or performance under load. These are planned; see methodology.
Tools listed
basic_memory_diagnostics, delete_note, read_content, build_context, recent_activity, search_notes, read_note, view_note, write_note, list_directory, edit_note, move_note, list_workspaces, list_memory_projects, create_memory_project, delete_project, search, fetch, schema_validate, schema_infer, schema_diff
Config used in our test
{
"mcpServers": {
"basic-memory": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"basic-memory",
"mcp"
]
}
}
}FAQ
Is Basic Memory deprecated?
No. basic-memory was not deprecated or archived when we last tested it on 2026-10-22.
What replaces Basic Memory?
Nothing; Basic Memory is not deprecated as of 2026-10-22.
Does Basic Memory need an API key?
No. It completed an MCP handshake with no credentials and listed 21 tools.
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