Claude Code
Membase in Claude Code: over MCP with consent, over MCP with a developer key, or as the skill alone.
Claude Code reads pages and runs commands, so it can take Membase three ways: over MCP with consent, over MCP with a developer key, or as the skill alone. Pick by what you want it to be able to do.
Before you start
Section titled “Before you start”- Claude Code 2.1.186 or later for
claude mcp login; older versions authorize with/mcpinside a session. - For anything that writes, a developer key from Connect › Developer keys › Create key at Read & write or Full access.
Set up
Section titled “Set up”Over MCP, with consent
Section titled “Over MCP, with consent”claude mcp add --transport http --scope user membase https://api.app.membase.io/mcp-httpclaude mcp login membase--scope user makes the server available in every project. The browser opens Membase’s
consent screen; tick the Memories Claude Code may use and, if it may read the profile,
Profile access. Then ask “List my Membase containers.” This connection is
read-only.
With a developer key
Section titled “With a developer key”No OAuth round-trip, and the key’s level applies, up to Full access:
claude mcp add --transport http --scope user membase https://api.app.membase.io/mcp-http \ --header "Authorization: Bearer ${MEMBASE_API_KEY}"The token screen right after Connect › Developer keys › Create key writes this command with the key filled in, on its Claude Code tab. The key’s page later shows no snippets, and a key created from the Skills tab shows only the sentence below.
Or the skill alone, with no MCP server at all. Paste the sentence from Connect’s Skills tab:
Install Membase from https://www.app.membase.io/skill using key mbk_…
Claude Code fetches the skill folder into ~/.claude/skills/membase/, stores the key as
MEMBASE_API_KEY in the env block of ~/.claude/settings.json, checks it with one call
and reports which Memories it can use. If it already has the MCP tools it uses those and
keeps the skill for its rules.
What it can do
Section titled “What it can do”| Way in | Tools |
|---|---|
| consent | list_containers, search_memories, get_profile when ticked; read-only |
| a Read key | those, plus list_documents, memory_rules |
| a Read & write key | plus add_memory, add_document |
| a Full access key | plus delete_document, forget_memory, each only with confirm=true after you agreed |
Which Memories it uses
Section titled “Which Memories it uses”With consent: the Memories ticked on the consent screen, switchable later under Uses on Claude Code’s page in Connect. With a key: the key’s reach, switchable on the key’s page or under Use in on the Memory. An empty container list means nothing is switched on yet.
Remove it
Section titled “Remove it”claude mcp remove membase. Then Disconnect…
on Claude Code’s page in Connect, or Revoke… the key: the client does not tell the
server.
If something looks wrong
Section titled “If something looks wrong”| It says | What it means | Do |
|---|---|---|
claude mcp list shows membase as needs authentication |
consent not completed | claude mcp login membase, or /mcp in a session |
| List my containers answers an empty list | connected, no Memory switched on | Uses on Claude Code’s page in Connect, or Use in on the Memory |
| the skill says it has no access | no key, or the key reaches nothing | Skills tab › Create key; or switch a Memory on for the key |
a write is refused with 403 |
the connection is consent-minted (read-only), or the key is Read | use a Read & write key |
| the first search takes a minute | the memory was asleep | nothing; the next one is quick |
| the model asks me to confirm a delete | a Full access key called delete or forget without confirm=true and got its how sentence |
decide; only a Full access key can pass confirm=true |