# Bm Setup

Set up the Basic Memory plugin for this project, a short guided interview that...

- Repository: https://github.com/basicmachines-co/basic-memory (4440 stars)
- Category: Engineering
- License: AGPL-3.0
- Last updated: 2026-11-01
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory --skill bm-setup -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory --skill bm-setup -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory --skill bm-setup -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory --skill bm-setup -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add basicmachines-co/basic-memory`

## Description

Set up the Basic Memory plugin for this project, a short guided interview that configures the project mapping, seeds note schemas, learns or suggests placement conventions, and enables capture reflexes. Use when the user runs /basic-memory:bm-setup, says "set up basic memory", or asks to configure/bootstrap the plugin.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Basic Memory setup

Run a short, adaptive interview (~2-3 minutes) and then write the configuration.
Be conversational and **skip questions whose answer is already obvious** from
context (e.g. if `bm_project(command="list")` shows a single local project and no cloud
workspaces, don't ask about cloud/teams, just confirm). Suggest a sensible default
for every question so the user can accept with one word. Don't do any writes until
the interview is done and you've confirmed the plan.

## Prerequisite check

First confirm the **Basic Memory MCP server is connected**, call
`bm_project(command="list")`. If that tool isn't available or errors, Basic Memory isn't
wired into Claude Code yet. **Stop and walk the user through it first** (everything
below depends on it):

1. Install it: `uv tool install basic-memory --prerelease=allow` (or
   `pip install basic-memory`), a version exposing the 1.0 `bm_*` tools. Keep `--prerelease=allow`
   with uv: published releases pin a FastMCP pre-release, and without the flag uv
   silently installs an older Basic Memory release.
2. Connect it: `claude mcp add basic-memory -- uvx --prerelease=allow basic-memory mcp`,
   then restart the session so the MCP server loads.

Re-check `bm_project(command="list")` before continuing, don't start the interview until
it succeeds.

## Interview

Ask only what you can't infer. Cover:

1. **Focus / how you'll use it.** "What will this project mostly be, code/dev,
   research, writing, knowledge capture, planning, or a mix?" This answer drives
   the folder structure you suggest (step 4) and is stored so the SessionStart
   brief can surface it. If you infer it instead of asking, state the use-case you
   assumed and the structure it implies so the user can correct it in one word.

The rest: https://github.com/basicmachines-co/basic-memory/blob/HEAD/plugins/claude-code/skills/bm-setup/SKILL.md