---
title: Quickstart
icon: "terminal"
iconType: "solid"
---

## Hosted OpenMemory MCP Now Available

#### Sign Up Now - [app.openmemory.dev](https://app.openmemory.dev)

Everything you love about OpenMemory MCP but with zero setup.

- Works with all MCP-compatible tools (Claude Desktop, Cursor, etc.)
- Same standard memory operations: `add_memories`, `search_memory`, etc.
- One-click provisioning, no Docker required
- Powered by Mem0

Add shared, persistent, low-friction memory to your MCP-compatible clients in seconds.

### Get Started Now
Sign up and get your access key at [app.openmemory.dev](https://app.openmemory.dev).

Example installation: `npx @openmemory/install --client claude --env OPENMEMORY_API_KEY=your-key`

## Getting Started with Hosted OpenMemory

The fastest way to get started is with our hosted version - no setup required.

### 1. Get Your API Key
Visit [app.openmemory.dev](https://app.openmemory.dev) to sign up and get your `OPENMEMORY_API_KEY`.

### 2. Install and Connect to Your Preferred Client
Example commands (replace `your-key` with your actual API key):

**For Claude Desktop:**
```bash
npx @openmemory/install --client claude --env OPENMEMORY_API_KEY=your-key
```

**For Cursor:**
```bash
npx @openmemory/install --client cursor --env OPENMEMORY_API_KEY=your-key
```

**For Windsurf:**
```bash
npx @openmemory/install --client windsurf --env OPENMEMORY_API_KEY=your-key
```

That's it! Your AI client now has persistent memory across sessions.

## Local Setup (Self-Hosted)

Prefer to run OpenMemory locally? Follow the instructions below for a self-hosted setup.

## OpenMemory Easy Setup

### Prerequisites
- Docker
- OpenAI API Key

You can quickly run OpenMemory by running the following command:

```bash
curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mem0ai/mem0/main/openmemory/run.sh | bash
```

You should set the `OPENAI_API_KEY` as a global environment variable:

```bash
export OPENAI_API_KEY=your_api_key
```

You can also set the `OPENAI_API_KEY` as a parameter to the script:

```bash
curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mem0ai/mem0/main/openmemory/run.sh | OPENAI_API_KEY=your_api_key bash
```

This will start the OpenMemory server and the OpenMemory UI. Deleting the container will lead to the deletion of the memory store. We suggest you follow the instructions below to set up OpenMemory on your local machine with a more persistent memory store.

## Setting Up OpenMemory

Getting started with OpenMemory is straightforward and takes just a few minutes to set up on your local machine. Follow these steps:

### 1. Clone the Repository
```bash
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/mem0ai/mem0.git
cd mem0/openmemory
```

### 2. Set Up Environment Variables

Before running the project, you need to configure environment variables for both the API and the UI.

You can do this in one of the following ways:

- **Manually:** Create a `.env` file in each of the following directories:
  - `/api/.env`
  - `/ui/.env`

- **Using `.env.example` files:** Copy and rename the example files:
  ```bash
  cp api/.env.example api/.env
  cp ui/.env.example ui/.env
  ```

- **Using Makefile** (if supported): Run:
  ```bash
  make env
  ```

#### Example `/api/.env`
```bash
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-xxx
USER=<user-id> # The User ID you want to associate the memories with
```

#### Example `/ui/.env`
```bash
NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=http://localhost:8765
NEXT_PUBLIC_USER_ID=<user-id> # Same as the user ID for environment variable in api
```

### 3. Build and Run the Project
You can run the project using the following two commands:
```bash
make build # Builds the MCP server and UI
make up    # Runs OpenMemory MCP server and UI
```

After running these commands, you will have:
- OpenMemory MCP server running at http://localhost:8765 (API documentation available at http://localhost:8765/docs)
- OpenMemory UI running at http://localhost:3000

#### UI Not Working on http://localhost:3000?

If the UI does not start properly on http://localhost:3000, try running it manually:

```bash
cd ui
pnpm install
pnpm dev
```

You can configure the MCP client using the following command (replace `username` with your username):

```bash
npx @openmemory/install local "http://localhost:8765/mcp/cursor/sse/username" --client cursor
```

The OpenMemory dashboard will be available at http://localhost:3000. From here, you can view and manage your memories and check connection status with your MCP clients.

Once set up, OpenMemory runs locally on your machine, ensuring all your AI memories remain private and secure while being accessible across any compatible MCP client.

## Getting Started Today

GitHub Repository: https://github.com/mem0ai/mem0/tree/main/openmemory
