A side-by-side look at the Basic Memory and XNotepad AI MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Basic Memory for knowledge & memory work as a local process; choose XNotepad AI for knowledge & memory. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
write_note, read_note, edit_note.Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Knowledge & Memory | Knowledge & Memory |
| Quality signal | 64/100 · Good | 31/100 · Emerging |
| Install command | Confirmed | Not confirmed yet |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | — |
| Auth | No auth required | Not declared |
| Pricing | Freemium | Not declared |
| Required env vars | None listed | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 4,141 | 0 |
| Directory activity | 2 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 21 | Not listed |
| Full listing | View Basic Memory | View XNotepad AI |
write_noteread_noteedit_notemove_notedelete_noteread_contentview_notesearch_notesrecent_activitylist_directorybuild_contextlist_memory_projectsNo tool names declared yet. Check the project README from the listing page.
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
{
"mcpServers": {
"basicmachines-co-basic-memory": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"--prerelease=allow",
"basic-memory"
]
}
}
}
No confirmed install command for XNotepad AI yet — follow the setup steps linked from its listing page rather than a guessed package name.