Setting Up Penfield with Claude Code

Connect Penfield to Claude Code to enable persistent memory and personality features in your terminal-based Claude sessions.

There are three ways to connect, from simplest to most powerful:

Option	Best For	Setup Time
claude.ai Connector	Already using Penfield on claude.ai	None
Manual MCP	Quick standalone setup	~2 minutes
Claude Code Plugin	Power users who want auto-context and hooks	~5 minutes

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Option 1: claude.ai Connector

If you've already added Penfield as a connector on claude.ai, Claude Code automatically picks it up. No additional setup is needed.

Launch Claude Code and type "Penfield Awaken" to verify the connection:

claude

If Penfield tools appear, you're done. If not, use Option 2 or Option 3 instead.

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Option 2: Manual MCP Setup

Step 1: Add the Penfield MCP Server

Run the following command in your terminal:

claude mcp add --transport http --scope user penfield https://mcp.penfield.app

Step 2: Launch Claude Code

Start Claude Code:

claude

Step 3: Open MCP Settings

Run the /mcp command to view your MCP servers:

/mcp

Step 4: Authenticate Penfield

1. Select penfield-mcp from the list
2. Select Authenticate

1. A browser window will open. Complete the authorization in your browser.

1. Return to Claude Code

Verification

After authentication, Penfield tools will be available in your Claude Code sessions. Start a new session and type "Penfield Awaken" to test the connection.

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Option 3: Claude Code Plugin

The Penfield plugin for Claude Code adds features that the standalone MCP connection cannot provide:

Feature	MCP (Options 1 & 2)	Plugin
Memory tools	Yes	Yes
/penfield:help command	No	Yes
Auto-context injection on session start	No	Yes
Automatic pre-compaction saves	No	Yes
Session log fallback	No	Yes

The key difference: the plugin uses hooks that fire deterministically every session, so memory is always loaded without relying on the model to remember to call the tools.

Step 1: Add the Marketplace and Install

/plugin marketplace add penfieldlabs/claude-penfield
/plugin install penfield

Step 2: Restart Claude Code

Restart Claude Code completely for the plugin to take effect.

Step 3: Enable the MCP Server

Run /mcp and select plugin:penfield:penfield under Built-in MCPs to enable it.

Step 4: Authenticate

If you haven't previously authorized Penfield, you'll be prompted to authenticate. Follow the browser-based authorization flow.

Verification

Start a new session. The plugin will automatically inject your memory context on startup. Type "Penfield Awaken" to confirm everything is working.

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Still Having Issues?

Contact [email protected] for assistance.