memory-curate — Claude Code skill: what it does, how to install
Curates your Basic Memory knowledge graph by connecting orphan notes, proposing typed relations, merging duplicates, and building hub indexes. Useful when accumulated notes become disorganized.
npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory --skill memory-curate -a claude-codeWhat memory-curate does
The skill curates the structure of a Basic Memory knowledge base. It scans for orphan notes lacking links, recommends typed connections such as depends_on, relates_to, or part_of, and locates duplicate or overlapping entries. When topics grow, it constructs index notes to tie related records together.
Under the hood, the skill relies on Basic Memory commands including bm_search, bm_read, bm_edit, and bm_find. If the bm CLI is installed, it calls bm orphans directly. It also audits folder layouts and normalizes inconsistent tagging, such as catching variations like arch alongside architecture.
Deleting duplicate notes without repointing incoming links leaves broken references behind. Restructuring bloated note bodies or pruning obsolete facts is handled by a separate skill, memory-defrag.
What it helps with
- detect orphan notes lacking graph relations in Basic Memory
- propose typed links between conceptually related notes
- merge duplicate notes and resolve redirect links
- build index hub notes for clustered topics
- standardize inconsistent tags across the knowledge base
Example prompts for the agent
- Find orphan notes in my knowledge base and propose relations for them.
- Audit my folder structure and tag consistency.
- Create an architecture index hub note from related decisions.
How to install memory-curate
1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory --skill memory-curate -a claude-code2Manually: put the files in place
~/.claude/skills/memory-curate/SKILL.mdCopy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/memory-curate/
1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory --skill memory-curate -a codex2Manually: put the files in place
.agents/skills/memory-curate/SKILL.mdFor all projects use ~/.agents/skills/
1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory --skill memory-curate -a cursor2Manually: put the files in place
.cursor/skills/memory-curate/SKILL.mdCursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/
1GitHub CLI
gh skill install basicmachines-co/basic-memory memory-curate2Manually: put the files in place
.github/skills/memory-curate/SKILL.md1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory --skill memory-curate -a gemini-cli2Platform CLI
gemini skills install https://github.com/basicmachines-co/basic-memory --path skills/memory-curateManually: put the files in place
.devin/skills/memory-curate/SKILL.mdThe legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works
Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory --skill memory-curate -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-curate
How to install memory-curate in Claude Code?
Run npx skills add basicmachines-co/basic-memory --skill memory-curate -a claude-code. The skill configuration saves to ~/.claude/skills/memory-curate/SKILL.md.
What does memory-curate do?
It organizes the graph topology in Basic Memory, finding unlinked notes, establishing typed relations, fixing tag inconsistencies, and generating index hubs.
How does memory-curate differ from memory-defrag?
The memory-curate skill focuses on relationships, tags, and folders across the graph. Editing bloated note bodies and retiring stale facts belongs to memory-defrag.
