off-context

Persistent memory for Claude Code across sessions

Overview

Are you a developer who uses Claude Code daily? Or maybe an enthusiastic hobby coder? Either way, you've probably felt the frustration of constantly re-explaining project context, previous decisions, and implementation details across sessions.

The problem: Claude Code forgets everything between sessions. You waste time and tokens re-establishing context every single conversation.

The solution: off-context gives Claude Code persistent memory with minimal setup and token overhead. No complex MCP configurations, no external services - just simple, local memory that works.

Key Features

• Project isolation - Each project has its own memory database
• Minimal token overhead - Only injects relevant context (2-3 recent exchanges)
• Local-first - No external services or complex MCP setup required
• Automatic context injection - Seamless integration using Claude Code hooks
• Intelligent search - Find relevant past conversations instantly
• Zero configuration - Works out of the box after simple setup

Installation

Quick Install

Linux/Ubuntu/WSL:

curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/thiagomendes/off-context-cli/main/install.sh | bash

macOS:

curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/thiagomendes/off-context-cli/main/install-mac.sh | bash

Manual Install:

# Install dependencies
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
source ~/.cargo/env
sudo apt-get install jq    # Linux
brew install jq            # macOS

# Build and install
git clone https://github.com/thiagomendes/off-context-cli.git
cd off-context-cli
cargo build --release

# Option 1: Install binary manually
sudo cp target/release/off-context /usr/local/bin/
off-context setup

# Option 2: Use install script with local binary
./install.sh --local target/release/off-context        # Linux
./install-mac.sh --local target/release/off-context    # macOS

Getting Started

1. Initialize in your project

cd your-project
off-context init

2. Use Claude Code normally

claude

Now Claude Code remembers everything from previous sessions in this project.

Daily Usage

Just use Claude Code as normal - off-context works transparently in the background:

claude

That's it! The system automatically:

• Captures all conversations
• Injects relevant context from past sessions
• Maintains project-specific memory

Web Admin Interface

For users who prefer a visual interface, off-context includes a simple web-based admin panel:

Launch Web Interface

Prerequisites: The project must be initialized first with off-context init

cd your-project
off-context init  # Required first time
off-context admin --port 8080

Then open http://localhost:8080 in your browser.

Advanced Usage (Optional)

For power users who want more control:

Project Management

# Check project status and memory stats
off-context status

# Launch web admin interface
off-context admin --port 8080

# Search conversation history
off-context search "authentication"

# Reset project memory
off-context reset

# Import existing Claude Code conversations
off-context import

# Export conversations
off-context export --format md

# Remove project hooks
off-context clear

How It Works

1. Installation automatically configures global Claude Code hooks
2. Init creates project-local memory in .off-context/
3. Smart injection automatically adds only the most relevant context (typically 2-3 recent exchanges)
4. Token efficient - adds ~50-200 tokens per prompt instead of re-explaining everything
5. Memory is isolated per project - no cross-contamination

vs MCP: No external servers, API keys, or complex configurations. Just local files and Claude Code's built-in hook system.

vs CLAUDE.md: Captures dynamic conversations automatically - no need to manually update markdown files with every small detail, temporary decision, or daily troubleshooting session.

Information Flow Diagram

flowchart TD
    A[SETUP<br/>off-context setup] --> B[INIT<br/>off-context init]
    B --> C[USER PROMPT]
    
    C --> D{New Session?}
    D -->|Yes| E[INJECT CONTEXT]
    D -->|No| F[NORMAL PROMPT]
    
    E --> G[ENHANCED PROMPT]
    F --> G
    G --> H[CLAUDE CODE]
    
    H --> I[SESSION ENDS]
    I --> J[STORE MEMORY]
    J --> K[READY FOR NEXT]
    K --> C
    
    style A fill:#4CAF50,color:#fff,font-size:16px
    style B fill:#2196F3,color:#fff,font-size:16px
    style E fill:#FF9800,color:#fff,font-size:16px
    style G fill:#9C27B0,color:#fff,font-size:16px
    style J fill:#E91E63,color:#fff,font-size:16px

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Project Structure

your-project/
├── .off-context/          # Project memory
│   ├── config.toml        # Local configuration  
│   └── qdrant/            # Conversation database
└── .claude/
    └── settings.local.json # Claude Code hooks

Example

Without off-context:

Monday: "The payment gateway timeout issue was caused by webhook retries"
Tuesday: "Payment failing again" → Claude suggests generic debugging, you re-explain webhook issue
Friday: "Customer says payment stuck" → You re-explain the timeout/retry problem again

With off-context:

Monday: "The payment gateway timeout issue was caused by webhook retries"  
Tuesday: "Payment failing again" → Claude immediately checks webhook retry logic
Friday: "Customer says payment stuck" → Claude references Monday's webhook timeout diagnosis

Requirements

• Claude Code

Uninstall

curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/thiagomendes/off-context-cli/main/uninstall.sh | bash

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.