memory-research · basicmachines-co — Claude Code skill: web research into Basic Memory
A skill that researches a company, person or technology on the web and files the result as a structured Basic Memory note.
npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory-skills --skill memory-research -a claude-codeWhat memory-research does
The skill fires when you ask for research, or when you drop a bare name or a URL with no other instruction. It runs a handful of searches and shapes what it finds around the subject type: an organization gets products, stage, leadership, headquarters; a person gets role, background, public work; a technology gets what it solves, who maintains it, maturity and alternatives.
Before anything is written, it queries Basic Memory under several spellings of the name — full form, acronym, domain. An existing entity is reported next to the fresh findings, and you get the option to extend that note with edit_note rather than start a second one. A new note is created through write_note only after you approve it, with a note type, tags, sections and relations to other entities in the graph.
Numbers in the summary stay hedged: funding and headcount are not presented as exact without a primary source. The skill sits on top of the Basic Memory MCP server, so search_notes, write_note and edit_note have nothing to call without it.
What it helps with
- pull together a profile of an unfamiliar company before a call
- record how you met someone as a knowledge-base entry
- map a new technology: maturity, alternatives, maintainers
- avoid duplicate notes when the entity already exists
- keep the source and research date next to the conclusions
Example prompts for the agent
- Research Terraform and create a Basic Memory entity for it
- What do you know about Acme Corp — saw them at the conference
- Look up https://example.com and suggest what to save
How to install memory-research
1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory-skills --skill memory-research -a claude-code2Manually: put the files in place
~/.claude/skills/memory-research/SKILL.mdCopy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/memory-research/
1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory-skills --skill memory-research -a codex2Manually: put the files in place
.agents/skills/memory-research/SKILL.mdFor all projects use ~/.agents/skills/
1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory-skills --skill memory-research -a cursor2Manually: put the files in place
.cursor/skills/memory-research/SKILL.mdCursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/
1GitHub CLI
gh skill install basicmachines-co/basic-memory-skills memory-research2Manually: put the files in place
.github/skills/memory-research/SKILL.md1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory-skills --skill memory-research -a gemini-cli2Platform CLI
gemini skills install https://github.com/basicmachines-co/basic-memory-skills --path memory-researchManually: put the files in place
.devin/skills/memory-research/SKILL.mdThe legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works
Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory-skills --skill memory-research -a opencodeClaude.ai
Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills
Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to install skills in Claude Code: five ways
Questions about memory-research
How do I install memory-research in Claude Code?
Run npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory-skills --skill memory-research -a claude-code. The skill file lands at ~/.claude/skills/memory-research/SKILL.md.
What does memory-research do?
It searches the web for the subject you name, checks Basic Memory for an existing entity, and after your approval writes a structured note with an overview, details, observations and relations.
What does the skill need to work?
The Basic Memory MCP server — the skill calls its search_notes, write_note and edit_note tools.
Similar skills
All skills for Agent setup: memory, context, orchestration →memory-research by other authors comes first.
