Content
# retrace-mcp
**Your AI's work log — automatic, private, local.**
Retrace automatically logs what you work on — decisions, bugs, people, references — as you code. All stored locally in SQLite. No account, no cloud, no data leaving your machine.
Query your work history months later:
- "What was that caching bug last month?"
- "Who worked on the payment integration?"
- "Give me a standup summary for yesterday"
## Setup
No install needed — just add Retrace to your MCP client config. It downloads automatically on first run.
### Claude Desktop
Add to `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"retrace": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "retrace-mcp"]
}
}
}
```
### VS Code (GitHub Copilot)
Add to your `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
"servers": {
"retrace": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "retrace-mcp"]
}
}
}
```
### Cursor
Add to `~/.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"retrace": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "retrace-mcp"]
}
}
}
```
That's it. Start a coding session and Retrace will automatically begin logging your work.
> **Optional:** If you prefer a permanent install, run `npm install -g retrace-mcp`.
## How it works
1. **Add the config** — paste the snippet above, no account needed
2. **Code normally** — your AI agent automatically logs meaningful work entries
3. **Query anytime** — ask about past work, get perfect standups, find who knows what
The AI logs entries proactively as you work. You never need to open an app or write anything manually.
## Tools
| Tool | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `log_entry` | Log a work memory entry (the AI calls this automatically) |
| `query_journal` | Search and filter entries by date, project, category, person, component |
| `recall` | Natural language search across all entries |
| `get_summary` | Daily summary for standups |
| `list_projects` | List all logged projects |
| `who_knows_about` | Find people with experience in a topic |
| `delete_entry` | Remove an entry by ID |
## Data storage
All data is stored locally in SQLite at:
```
~/.retrace/journal.db
```
To use a custom path:
```bash
retrace-mcp --db-path /path/to/my/journal.db
```
Or set the environment variable:
```bash
RETRACE_DB_PATH=/path/to/my/journal.db
```
### Backup
Simply copy the database file:
```bash
cp ~/.retrace/journal.db ~/.retrace/journal.backup.db
```
## Cloud upgrade
Want multi-device sync, a web dashboard, team memory, and encrypted cloud storage? Connect your MCP client directly to the Retrace cloud endpoint — no local install needed.
Learn more at [retrace-zeta.vercel.app](https://retrace-zeta.vercel.app)
## Requirements
- Node.js 18+
## License
MIT
