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docs(claude-code-plugin): point to nmem CLI for graph/Crystal queries - #533

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wey-gu merged 4 commits into
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docs/graph-nmem-cli-note
Aug 24, 2026
Merged

docs(claude-code-plugin): point to nmem CLI for graph/Crystal queries#533
wey-gu merged 4 commits into
mainfrom
docs/graph-nmem-cli-note

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@hawkingrei

@hawkingrei hawkingrei commented Aug 21, 2026

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Background

The default MCP tool set every recognized-host plugin in this repo exposes (Grok Build/Claude Code, Codex, Kimi Code, Gemini CLI, Cursor, CodeBuddy, Copilot CLI, OpenCode -- the exact list in nowledge-co/mem's docs/implementation/EXTERNAL_MCP_SURFACE.md) is intentionally bounded to a small per-turn set. It does not include graph-relationship tools (memory_neighbors, list_crystals, explore_graph, etc.).

Problem

A user asked why a Crystal's graph neighbors can't be queried via MCP. The backend/REST layer fully supports it, but none of these plugins' READMEs mentioned the bounded tool set or pointed to any alternative -- so there was no documented path forward for graph/relationship queries in any of them.

Fix

Adds a short "Beyond the default tools" note to every plugin covering a recognized host, recommending the nmem CLI for anything outside the per-turn MCP loop -- ordered explicitly as MCP tools first for the day-to-day loop, nmem CLI for gaps beyond that (not "prefer nmem over MCP" in general). nmem is already a prerequisite for every one of these plugins, so no new install step.

nowledge-mem-gemini-cli already had a "Direct nmem Use Is Always Allowed" section; extended it in place instead of adding a duplicate section (nowledge-co/nowledge-mem-gemini-cli#5), and this PR bumps that nested submodule's pointer to pick it up.

Tests

No need to test -- docs-only change (README additions), no code path affected.

The default MCP tool set this plugin exposes is intentionally bounded
(see postmortem/2026-07-10-external-mcp-tool-surface-bloat.md in the
main repo) and does not include graph-relationship tools like
memory_neighbors or list_crystals. A user hitting "why can't I query a
Crystal's graph neighbors" had no documented path forward -- the README
never mentioned the bound or an alternative.

Adds a short "Beyond the default tools" section recommending the nmem
CLI (nmem graph expand / nmem graph evolves), which talks to the REST
backend directly and isn't subject to the MCP tool-surface bound.
Reframe as a positive capability pointer (nmem CLI can do more, see
--help) rather than explaining internal MCP tool-set bounding -- that
reasoning belongs in the main repo's postmortem, not user-facing docs.
State the recommendation directly rather than implying it.
Same note as the earlier Claude Code plugin commit, applied to every
other plugin covering a client on the EXTERNAL_MCP_SURFACE.md
recognized-host list (Codex, Codex prompts, Kimi Code, Cursor,
CodeBuddy, Copilot CLI, OpenCode) -- they all share the same bounded
default MCP tool set, so the same "no graph queries in the default
set" gap and the same nmem CLI escape hatch applies to each.

Also reorders the recommendation: MCP tools first for the per-turn
loop, nmem CLI for anything beyond that -- not "prefer nmem over MCP"
in general, which the first wording could be misread as.

nowledge-mem-gemini-cli already had a "Direct nmem Use Is Always
Allowed" section; extended it in place (commits d2984d4, a838134 on
nowledge-co/nowledge-mem-gemini-cli#5) rather than adding a duplicate
section, and bumped this submodule's pointer to pick it up.
@wey-gu
wey-gu merged commit 9f13bb5 into main Aug 24, 2026
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@wey-gu
wey-gu deleted the docs/graph-nmem-cli-note branch August 24, 2026 05:28
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2 participants