Content
# claude-historian-mcp
A [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) server for searching your [Claude Code](https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code) conversation history. Find past solutions, track file changes, and learn from previous work.
[](https://www.npmjs.com/package/claude-historian-mcp) [](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp)  [](#) [](https://www.typescriptlang.org/) [](https://nodejs.org/) [](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
## install
Requirements:
> [Claude Code](https://claude.ai/code)
**From shell:**
```bash
claude mcp add claude-historian-mcp -- npx claude-historian-mcp
```
**From inside Claude** (restart required):
```
Add this to our global mcp config: npx claude-historian-mcp
Install this mcp: https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp
```
**From any manually configurable `mcp.json`**: (Cursor, Windsurf, etc.)
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"claude-historian-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["claude-historian-mcp"],
"env": {}
}
}
}
```
That's it; there is **no `npm install` required** as there are no external dependencies or local databases, only search algorithms.
However, in the unlikely event that you pull the wrong package / `npx` registry is out of date, you can force resolution issues in certain environments with:
```bash
npm install -g claude-historian-mcp
```
> **📦 renamed:** This project was renamed from `claude-historian` to `claude-historian-mcp`. Existing users should update your install command and MCP config args to `claude-historian-mcp`.
## features
[MCP server](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) that gives Claude access to your conversation history. Fast search with smart prioritization.
Runs locally (with cool shades `[⌐■_■]`):
#### `search_conversations`
Search your conversation history for past solutions, discussions, and context.
```
[⌐■_■] search_conversations query=<query>
> "How did we fix that Redis connection pooling nightmare?"
> "Docker container keeps crashing on Kubernetes deployment"
> "React infinite re-render loop - useEffect dependency hell"
```
```json
[⌐■_■] "docker auth" | 2 results
{
"results": [{
"type": "assistant",
"ts": "2h ago",
"content": "Fixed Docker auth by updating registry credentials...",
"project": "my-app",
"score": 15,
"ctx": { "filesReferenced": ["docker-compose.yml"], "toolsUsed": ["Edit", "Bash"] }
}]
}
```
#### `find_file_context`
Track modifications, edits, and discussions about specific files across sessions.
```
[⌐□_□] find_file_context filepath=<filepath>
> "package.json changes that broke everything last month"
> "When we accidentally committed .env to main branch"
> "Authentication service refactor - before/after comparison"
```
```json
[⌐□_□] "package.json" | 5 operations
{
"filepath": "package.json",
"operations": [{
"type": "edit",
"ts": "1d ago",
"changes": ["added vitest dependency", "updated build script"],
"ctx": { "filesReferenced": ["package.json", "vitest.config.ts"] }
}]
}
```
#### `get_error_solutions`
Find how you've resolved similar errors before, with code fixes and patterns.
```
[⌐×_×] get_error_solutions error_pattern=<error>
> "MODULE_NOT_FOUND - the classic npm/yarn version mismatch"
> "CORS preflight failing - but only on production Fridays?"
> "Database deadlock during Black Friday traffic spike"
```
```json
[⌐×_×] "ENOENT no such file" | 2 solutions
{
"solutions": [{
"pattern": "ENOENT: no such file or directory",
"frequency": 3,
"fixes": [{ "content": "Created missing directory", "code": ["mkdir -p ./dist"] }]
}]
}
```
#### `find_similar_queries`
Discover related questions you've asked before and their answers.
```
[⌐◆_◆] find_similar_queries query=<query>
> "Database queries slower than my morning coffee brewing"
> "How to implement error boundaries without losing sanity"
> "State management: Redux vs Zustand vs just useState"
```
```json
[⌐◆_◆] "typescript error handling" | 3 similar
{
"similar": [{
"query": "how to handle async errors in typescript",
"similarity": 0.72,
"ts": "3d ago",
"project": "api-server"
}]
}
```
#### `list_recent_sessions`
Browse your recent Claude sessions with project context and accomplishments.
```
[⌐○_○] list_recent_sessions
> "Tuesday debugging marathon: 9pm-3am flaky test hunt"
> "Performance optimization sprint - reduced bundle 40%"
> "The great TypeScript migration of 2024"
```
```json
[⌐○_○] all | 3 sessions
{
"sessions": [{
"id": "68d5323b",
"ts": "2h ago",
"duration": 45,
"messages": 128,
"project": "my-app",
"tools": ["Edit", "Bash", "Read"],
"accomplishments": ["fixed auth bug", "added unit tests"]
}]
}
```
#### `find_tool_patterns`
Learn from your successful tool usage workflows and common sequences.
```
[⌐⎚_⎚] find_tool_patterns tool_name=<tool>
> "Read → Edit → Bash combo for rapid prototyping"
> "When I use Grep vs Task for different searches"
> "Git operations during feature branch management"
```
```json
[⌐⎚_⎚] "Edit" | 3 patterns
{
"tool": "Edit",
"patterns": [{
"name": "Read → Edit → Bash",
"uses": 7,
"workflow": "Read → Edit → Bash",
"practice": "Read file, edit, then run tests (7x successful)"
}]
}
```
#### `search_plans`
Search Claude Code plan files for past implementation approaches, decisions, and patterns.
```
[⌐▣_▣] search_plans query=<query>
> "How did we architect the authentication system?"
> "Database migration strategy from last refactor"
> "API versioning approach we decided on"
```
```json
[⌐▣_▣] "auth implementation" | 2 plans
{
"plans": [{
"file": "implement-oauth.md",
"ts": "3d ago",
"project": "my-app",
"summary": "OAuth2 implementation with refresh tokens...",
"decisions": ["chose PKCE flow", "JWT for access tokens"]
}]
}
```
#### `extract_compact_summary`
Get a concise summary of what was accomplished in a specific session.
```
[⌐◉_◉] extract_compact_summary session_id=<id>
> "What did we accomplish in last session?"
> "Summarize the authentication refactor work"
> "Key decisions from yesterday's debugging"
```
```json
[⌐◉_◉] extracting summary from my-app (68d5323b)
{
"session": {
"id": "68d5323b",
"ts": "2h ago",
"duration": 45,
"messages": 128,
"project": "my-app",
"tools": ["Edit", "Bash", "Read"],
"files": ["src/auth.ts", "package.json"],
"accomplishments": ["fixed auth bug", "added unit tests"],
"decisions": ["chose JWT over sessions"]
}
}
```
## methodology
How [claude-historian](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp) [works](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/tree/master/src):
```
"docker auth" query
|
├─> Parallel Processing (search.ts:157): 15 projects × 10 files concurrently
| • Promise.allSettled for 6x speed improvement
| • Early termination when sufficient results found
| • Enhanced file coverage with comprehensive patterns
|
├─> Enhanced Classification (search.ts:582): implementation → boost tool workflows
| • Workflow detection for tool sequences (Edit → Read → Bash)
| • Semantic boundary preservation (never truncate mid-function)
| • Claude-optimized formatting with rich metadata
|
├─> Smart Ranking (search.ts:637):
| • "Edit workflow (7x successful)" (2h ago) *****
| • "Docker auth with context paths" (yesterday) ****
| • "Container debugging patterns" (last week) ***
|
└─> Return Claude Code optimized results
```
**Core optimizations:**
- [parallel processing](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/blob/master/src/search.ts#L157): `Promise.allSettled` for 6x speed improvement across projects and files
- [workflow detection](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/blob/master/src/search.ts#L1010): Captures tool sequences like "Edit → Read → Bash" patterns
- [enhanced file matching](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/blob/master/src/search.ts#L694): Comprehensive path variations with case-insensitive matching
- [intelligent deduplication](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/blob/master/src/search-helpers.ts#L40): Content-based deduplication preserving highest-scoring results
- [intelligent truncation](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/blob/master/src/formatter.ts#L46): Never truncates mid-function or mid-error
- [Claude-optimized formatting](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/blob/master/src/formatter.ts#L15): Rich metadata with technical content prioritization
**Search strategies:**
- **[JSON streaming parser](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JSON_streaming)** ([parseJsonlFile](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/blob/master/src/parser.ts#L16)): Reads Claude Code conversation files on-demand without full deserialization
- **[LRU caching](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cache_replacement_policies#Least_recently_used_(LRU)>)** ([messageCache](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/blob/master/src/search.ts#L13)): In-memory cache with intelligent eviction for frequently accessed conversations
- **[TF-IDF inspired scoring](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tf%E2%80%93idf)** ([calculateRelevanceScore](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/blob/master/src/search.ts#L637)): Term frequency scoring with document frequency weighting for relevance
- **[Query classification](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Text_classification)** ([classifyQueryType](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/blob/master/src/search.ts#L582)): Naive Bayes-style classification (error/implementation/analysis/general) with adaptive limits
- **[Edit distance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edit_distance)** ([calculateQuerySimilarity](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/blob/master/src/search-helpers.ts#L157)): Fuzzy matching for technical terms and typo tolerance
- **[Exponential time decay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exponential_decay)** (getTimeRangeFilter): Recent messages weighted higher with configurable half-life
- **[Parallel file processing](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Promise/allSettled)** ([getErrorSolutions](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/blob/master/src/search.ts#L882)): Concurrent project scanning with early termination for 0.8s response times
- **[Workflow pattern recognition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequential_pattern_mining)** ([getToolPatterns](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/blob/master/src/search.ts#L1010)): Detects tool usage sequences and related workflows for learning
- **[Enhanced file context](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Path_(computing)>)** ([findFileContext](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/blob/master/src/search.ts#L694)): Multi-project search with comprehensive path matching
- **[Content-aware truncation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Text_segmentation)** ([smartTruncation](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/blob/master/src/formatter.ts#L46)): Intelligent content boundaries over arbitrary character limits
- **[Technical content prioritization](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_extraction)** ([BeautifulFormatter](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/blob/master/src/formatter.ts#L15)): Code blocks, errors, and file paths get full preservation
- **[Query similarity clustering](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_analysis)** ([findSimilarQueries](https://github.com/Vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp/blob/master/src/search.ts#L811)): Semantic expansion and pattern grouping for related questions
**File access:**
- Reads from: `~/.claude/conversations/`
- Zero persistent storage or indexing
- Never leaves your machine
## performance
See [PERF.md](./PERF.md) for benchmarks, optimization history, and quality scores.
**Current (v1.0.4)**: 4.7/5 average score across 8 tools. Latest: fixed word matching bug eliminating false positives (e.g., "react" vs "ReAct"), +1.0 point search relevance improvement.
## development
```bash
git clone https://github.com/vvkmnn/claude-historian-mcp && cd claude-historian
npm install && npm run build
npm test
```
**Package requirements:**
- **Node.js**: >=20.0.0 (ES modules support)
- **npm**: >=10.0.0 (package-lock v3)
- **Runtime**: Only `@modelcontextprotocol/sdk` dependency
- **Zero external dependencies** for production deployment
- **Optimized**: 50% token reduction with parallel processing
**Development workflow:**
```bash
npm run build # TypeScript compilation with executable permissions
npm run dev # Watch mode with tsc --watch
npm run start # Run the MCP server directly
npm run lint # ESLint code quality checks
npm run lint:fix # Auto-fix linting issues
npm run format # Prettier formatting (src/)
npm run format:check # Check formatting without changes
npm run type-check # TypeScript validation without emit
npm run test # Run help command + type check
npm run prepublishOnly # Pre-publish validation (build + lint + format:check)
```
**Git hooks (via Husky):**
- **pre-commit**: Auto-formats staged `.ts` files with Prettier and ESLint
- **pre-push**: Runs full validation (format, lint, type-check, build) before push
Contributing:
- Please fork the repository and create feature branches
- Test with large conversation histories before submitting PRs
- Follow TypeScript strict mode and [MCP protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification) standards
Learn from examples:
- [Official MCP servers](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers) for reference implementations
- [TypeScript SDK](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/typescript-sdk) for best practices
- [Creating Node.js modules](https://docs.npmjs.com/creating-node-js-modules) - NPM package development guide
## desktop
**Note:** Claude Desktop stores conversations server-side, not locally. The local LevelDB files (`~/Library/Application Support/Claude/`) contain only session tokens, UI preferences, and Intercom state - not conversation content. Claude Desktop support is also blocked by [LevelDB locks](https://github.com/Level/level#open) and [Electron sandboxing](https://www.electronjs.org/docs/latest/tutorial/sandbox).
This means **local history search for Claude Desktop is not currently possible**. This project focuses on **Claude Code**, which stores full conversation history locally in `~/.claude/projects/`.
You may get some Claude Desktop from Claude Code, but **only when the Claude app is closed**. Furthermore A DXT package and build is available for future compatibility; further investigations are ongoing. Feel free to test with it.
## alternatives
**[claude-mem](https://github.com/thedotmack/claude-mem)** - Plugin with SQLite database and always-on context loading.
| Feature | claude-historian-mcp | claude-mem |
| ------------------- | --------------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| **Setup** | One command | Plugin install + database |
| **Session startup** | Instant | Loads 5-8k tokens every session |
| **First response** | Immediate | Processes context before responding |
| **Token cost** | 0 (only when queried) | 5-8k per session always |
| **Storage** | None (reads .jsonl) | SQLite database + migrations |
| **Maintenance** | Zero | Worker daemons, version conflicts |
**Real-world testing** (over 270+ sessions):
- 95% of sessions never query history (Result: 98% token savings):
- claude-mem: 5-8k tokens × 95 wasted = **475k wasted tokens**
- claude-historian-mcp: 0 × 95 + (500-2k × 5 queries) = **2.5-10k tokens**
- Plugin + external database has more overhead on every session / machine start:
- claude-historian-mcp: zero startup overhead, instant first response
- claude-mem: processes full context before every first response (cached tokens are cheaper to bill, not faster to process)
- claude-mem only has savings if querying history in >50% of sessions (very uncommon)
- Some issues are still being debugged, and can break a session:
- Creates stub session files that break `--continue` command
- Worker daemon version conflicts cause connection failures
- Security hooks block valid documentation edits
## license
[MIT](LICENSE)
---
_Claude Fauchet (1744-1793), French Historian_
