OpenContext Context Management (Persistent Memory)

Give your AI assistant persistent memory. Stop repeating explanations, and build smarter.

When to use this skill

• When you need to keep context across sessions
• When you need to record project background/decisions
• When you need to search prior conclusions/lessons
• When you need knowledge sharing in a Multi-Agent workflow
• When you want to reduce repetitive background explanations

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1. Core concepts

Problem

When working with an AI assistant, context gets lost (across sessions, repos, and dates). You end up repeating background, re-explaining decisions, and sometimes the assistant continues with incorrect assumptions.

Solution

OpenContext is a lightweight personal context/knowledge store for AI assistants.

[Load context] → [Do work] → [Store conclusions]

Default paths

Item	Path
Contexts	~/.opencontext/contexts
Database	~/.opencontext/opencontext.db

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2. Install and initialize

Install CLI

npm install -g @aicontextlab/cli
# Or use npx
npx @aicontextlab/cli <command>

Initialize (run inside the repo)

cd your-project
oc init

What oc init does:

• Prepare the global context store (on first run)
• Generate user-level commands/skills + mcp.json for the selected tool
• Update the repo's AGENTS.md

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3. Slash Commands

Beginner-friendly commands

Command	Purpose
/opencontext-help	When you don't know where to start
/opencontext-context	(Recommended default) Load background before work
/opencontext-search	Search existing documents
/opencontext-create	Create a new document/idea
/opencontext-iterate	Store conclusions and citations

Install locations

# Slash Commands
Cursor:      ~/.cursor/commands
Claude Code: ~/.claude/commands

# Skills
Cursor:      ~/.cursor/skills/opencontext-*/SKILL.md
Claude Code: ~/.claude/skills/opencontext-*/SKILL.md
Codex:       ~/.codex/skills/opencontext-*/SKILL.md

# MCP Config
Cursor:      ~/.cursor/mcp.json
Claude Code: ~/.claude/mcp.json

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4. Core CLI commands

Folder/document management

# List folders
oc folder ls --all

# Create folder
oc folder create project-a -d "My project"

# Create document
oc doc create project-a design.md -d "Design doc"

# List documents
oc doc ls project-a

Search & manifest

# Search (keyword/hybrid/vector)
oc search "your query" --mode keyword --format json

# Generate a manifest (list of files the AI should read)
oc context manifest project-a --limit 10

Search modes

Mode	Description	Requirements
--mode keyword	Keyword-based search	No embeddings required
--mode vector	Vector search	Embeddings + index required
--mode hybrid	Hybrid (default)	Embeddings + index required

Embedding configuration (for semantic search)

# Set API key
oc config set EMBEDDING_API_KEY "<<your_key>>"

# (Optional) Set base URL
oc config set EMBEDDING_API_BASE "https://api.openai.com/v1"

# (Optional) Set model
oc config set EMBEDDING_MODEL "text-embedding-3-small"

# Build index
oc index build

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5. MCP Tools

OpenContext MCP Tools

oc_list_folders    # List folders
oc_list_docs       # List documents
oc_manifest        # Generate manifest
oc_search          # Search documents
oc_create_doc      # Create document
oc_get_link        # Generate stable link

Multi-Agent integration

# Gemini: large-scale analysis
ask-gemini "Analyze the structure of the entire codebase"

# Codex: run commands
shell "docker-compose up -d"

# OpenContext: store results
oc doc create project-a conclusions.md -d "Analysis conclusions"

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6. Multi-Agent workflow integration

Orchestration Pattern

[Claude] Plan
    ↓
[Gemini] Analysis/research + OpenContext search
    ↓
[Claude] Write code
    ↓
[Codex] Run/test
    ↓
[Claude] Synthesize results + store in OpenContext

Practical example: API design + implementation + testing

# 1. [Claude] Design API spec using the skill
/opencontext-context   # Load project background

# 2. [Gemini] Analyze a large codebase
ask-gemini "@src/ Analyze existing API patterns"

# 3. [Claude] Implement code based on the analysis
# (Use context loaded from OpenContext)

# 4. [Codex] Test and build
shell "npm test && npm run build"

# 5. [Claude] Create final report + store conclusions
/opencontext-iterate   # Store decisions and lessons learned

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7. Recommended daily workflow

Before work (1 min)

/opencontext-context

• Load project background + known pitfalls

During work

/opencontext-search

• Search existing conclusions when unsure

After work (2 min)

/opencontext-iterate

• Record decisions, pitfalls, and next steps

High-ROI document types

• Acceptance Criteria - acceptance criteria
• Common Pitfalls - common pitfalls
• API Contracts - API contracts
• Dependency Versions - dependency versions

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8. Stable links (Stable Links)

Keep links stable across renames/moves by referencing document IDs:

[label](oc://doc/<stable_id>)

Generate a link via CLI

oc doc link <doc_path>

Generate a link via MCP

oc_get_link doc_path="Product/api-spec"

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9. Desktop App & Web UI

Desktop App (recommended)

• Manage/search/edit context with a native UI
• Use without the CLI
• Automatic index builds (in the background)

Citation features: | Action | How | Result | |------|------|------| | Cite text snippet | Select text → right-click → "Copy Citation" | Agent reads the snippet + source | | Cite document | Click the citation icon next to the document title | Agent reads the full document + obtains stable_id | | Cite folder | Right-click folder → "Copy Folder Citation" | Agent bulk-reads all docs in the folder |

Web UI

oc ui
# Default URL: http://127.0.0.1:4321

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Quick Reference

Essential workflow

Before: /opencontext-context (load background)
During: /opencontext-search (search)
After: /opencontext-iterate (store)

Core CLI commands

oc init              # Initialize project
oc folder ls --all   # List folders
oc doc ls <folder>   # List documents
oc search "query"    # Search
oc doc create ...    # Create document

MCP Tools

oc_list_folders  list folders
oc_list_docs     list documents
oc_search        search
oc_manifest      manifest
oc_create_doc    create document
oc_get_link      generate link

Paths

~/.opencontext/contexts      context store
~/.opencontext/opencontext.db  database

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References

• OpenContext Website
• Usage Guide
• Download Desktop
• GitHub Repository