Set up Contexara in Claude Code

Understand your connection

Hooks capture supported conversation events. Claude Code and Codex hooks also retrieve relevant memory and inject it before a response. MCP is separate: it lets the assistant request recall or save a memory on demand.

The Connected badge reflects server-confirmed hook capture, not continuous device health or an MCP-only connection. Capture, automatic injection and MCP reads/writes need separate checks.

Before you start

Sign in to Contexara, activate your plan and open Integrations. Manage credentials from API keys.

Install a supported host version, Node.js 20 or later and npm on the machine where you work. Enter your key locally; never paste it into an assistant conversation or commit it to a project.

1. Install and verify hooks

Choose Claude Code in Integrations and follow its wizard. Copy its command, or use the interactive command below to enter your existing key locally.

npx --yes contexara@latest init --platform claude-code

Review the installer output and approve host hook changes when requested. Restart Claude Code in a fresh terminal session. Setup applies to this machine, not every device using your account.

Keep the wizard open at Verify. Send its current setup-code message in the selected tool, not another host or an old session. Wait for server-confirmed capture. Diagnose delays with:

npx --yes contexara@latest status

Check recent delivery and queue status. Memories become searchable after processing. In Claude Code and Codex, test automatic injection separately using a harmless saved fact and hook diagnostics; do not assume a plausible answer came from CTX.

2. Connect MCP

Add the HTTP server with your private key locally. Replace the placeholder; do not share the resulting command.

claude mcp add --transport http contexara https://mcp.contexara.com/mcp --header "x-api-key: YOUR_CTX_API_KEY" --scope user

claude mcp list

Restart Claude Code and review MCP permissions for reading and saving.

3. Test reading and saving

Use harmless sample data. Explicitly use Contexara, not the host's built-in memory, and check that the remember tool returns success.

Use Contexara's remember tool to save: my connection test phrase is amber-paper compass.

After processing, start a new chat with the connection enabled. Inspect the cognitive_intelligence tool call and returned result:

Use Contexara's cognitive_intelligence tool to recall my connection test phrase.

A matching answer alone is not evidence of a CTX call. If nothing is found, wait for processing, confirm the same account and project scope, and retry. This test does not automatically mark an MCP-only card Connected.

Manage and resume

Verified coding tools open their connection summary without generating a new key or capture test. Unfinished progress is saved for this account and tool on this browser for 30 days. Keys are never saved in browser storage. After a reload, reuse an existing key locally or continue to verification if already installed. Create a replacement only intentionally.

Close the wizard with ×. Manage or remove MCP in the host. Removing MCP does not uninstall hooks. Revoke unused keys from API keys. Follow the capture removal guide for hooks; deleting a folder alone does not remove scheduled tasks.

Troubleshooting

Capture: check the selected tool, fresh session, hook approval and recent delivery. MCP: check HTTPS reachability, /mcp, authentication, enabled tools and read/write permissions. Reauthenticate expired connectors rather than creating new hook keys.

If custom setup is missing, check your host plan and administrator policy. A read-only connector is not proof that saving works. Contact howdy@contexara.com with the version and redacted error, never your key.