What environment is needed to install sqlew?

Node.js 20 or higher and npm. No other dependencies are required.

Does sqlew send any data to external servers?

No. The OSS version of sqlew performs zero external communication. All data stays in your local SQLite database.

Which AI coding agents does sqlew support?

sqlew supports Claude Code (via plugin) and Codex (via skills and MCP configuration).

Can sqlew be used for team development?

Yes. While SQLite works for solo use, sqlew also supports MySQL 8.0+ and PostgreSQL 12+ for shared team databases and git worktree workflows.

Is there a SaaS version available?

Yes. sqlew.io offers a SaaS backend with audit logs and managed shared databases. Data can be migrated from the OSS version with a single command.

How to Install sqlew: Give Your AI Coding Agent Persistent Memory in One Command

sqlew is an open-source tool that manages per-project "memory" for the AI-native era. It stores design decisions and constraints in a structured SQL database, letting AI agents retrieve only the context they need via MCP. It installs with a single npm command, sends zero data externally, and supports team development out of the box.

In this article, we'll walk through how to install the OSS version.

Installing sqlew

Installing sqlew couldn't be simpler.

npm install -g sqlew

That's all it takes to install the core package. You'll then need to configure MCP so your coding agent can use it.

For Claude Code

With Claude Code, installing the plugin makes sqlew available across all your projects in just two steps.

claude plugin marketplace add sqlew-io/sqlew-plugin
claude plugin install sqlew-plugin

For Codex

For Codex, you'll need to set up Skills, an additional system prompt, and edit the configuration.

Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/sqlew-io/sqlew-codex

Copy skills to the Codex system folder

cp sqlew-codex-skills/copy_to_codex_dir/* ~/.codex

Edit the Codex config

in ~/.codex/config.toml

project_doc_fallback_filenames = ["sqlew_agents.md"]
.
.
.
[mcp_servers.sqlew]
command = "sqlew"

Using sqlew

From here, just use claude or codex as usual and give instructions in Plan Mode.

On first launch, the SQLite database (.sqlew/sqlew.db) and configuration file are auto-generated — no manual setup required.

Zero External Communication

The OSS version of sqlew sends absolutely no data to external networks. There is no usage telemetry, no analytics collection. Your design decisions and code context remain entirely within your local SQLite database.

This makes sqlew suitable even for environments with strict security policies.

MySQL & PostgreSQL for Team Development

While SQLite works perfectly for solo development, shared databases shine when working with multiple developers or using git worktree for parallel branch development. sqlew supports MySQL 8.0+ and PostgreSQL 12+ — just update the connection settings in .sqlew/config.toml.

sqlew also works seamlessly with git worktree. Each worktree shares the same decision database while maintaining independent sessions, preventing architectural drift between branches.

Wrapping Up

The OSS version of sqlew installs with a single npm command, runs with zero external communication, and scales with your choice of database backend. It's the simplest first step toward giving your AI coding workflow persistent memory.

For teams looking for production-grade operations, sqlew also offers a SaaS backend with audit logs and managed shared databases. Migrating from the OSS version takes just one command.

sqlew - AI Coding Memory, Made Persistent