What is the key difference between Mnemos and Lean Memory?

Mnemos belongs to the Knowledge & Memory category with local stdio execution, while Lean Memory belongs to the Knowledge & Memory category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Mnemos or Lean Memory in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are Mnemos and Lean Memory free or paid?

Mnemos operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Lean Memory operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Mnemos lists 9 tools with 2 views and 22 GitHub stars. Lean Memory lists 5 tools with 3 views and 42 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Mnemos and Lean Memory together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Mnemos vs Lean Memory

In-depth architectural comparison of the Mnemos and Lean Memory MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

Mnemos

Knowledge & Memory · Local stdio

Quality: 60/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Lean Memory

Knowledge & Memory · Local stdio

Quality: 55/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Mnemos if you need specialized Knowledge & Memory tools running via a local process. Choose Lean Memory if your workspace requires Knowledge & Memory integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Mnemos when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Knowledge & Memory domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: mnemos_store, mnemos_search, mnemos_context.

Explore Mnemos Details

Choose Lean Memory when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Knowledge & Memory domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
You have access to required keys: LM_DATA_ROOT, LM_MAINT_AUTO.
Primary tools included: Per-namespace SQLite storage, Hybrid dense and FTS5 retrieval, Point-in-time history queries.

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Mnemos s60yucca Knowledge & Memory	Lean Memory Wuesteon Knowledge & Memory
Summary	Persistent memory engine for AI coding agents. Stores architecture decisions, bug root causes, and project conventions across sessions. Single Go binary with embedded SQLite, FTS5 search, context assembly within token budgets, and autopilot setup for Claude Code, Kiro, and Cursor.	Embedded, local-first agent memory in a single SQLite file per namespace (vec0 + FTS5 hybrid retrieval). ADD-only history queryable as-of any past time; offline sleep-time maintenance stages dedupe/summarize/evict proposals a human reviews. No Docker, no server, no cloud key. pip install 'lean-memory[mcp]'
Category & Scope

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Mnemos Tools (9)

mnemos_store

Store a memory (full auto-pipeline runs transparently)

mnemos_search

Hybrid FTS + semantic + file-overlap search

mnemos_context

Assemble budget-aware, MMR-diversified context

mnemos_get

Fetch by ID

mnemos_update

Update content, summary, or tags

mnemos_delete

Soft-delete (recoverable via maintain)

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

Mnemos Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "s60yucca-mnemos": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@s60yucca/mnemos"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Lean Memory Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "wuesteon-lean-memory": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "lean-memory"
      ],
      "env": {
        "LM_DATA_ROOT": "YOUR_LM_DATA_ROOT_HERE",
        "LM_MAINT_AUTO": "YOUR_LM_MAINT_AUTO_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Mnemos is categorized under Knowledge & Memory and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Lean Memory belongs to Knowledge & Memory using local stdio subprocess. Select Mnemos when you need capabilities focused on knowledge & memory and Lean Memory when you require tools for knowledge & memory.

More alternatives to Mnemos More alternatives to Lean Memory Knowledge & Memory category hub