MCP Usage Guide

Complete guide for using Lore MCP server with Claude Code.

Overview

Lore MCP is a cloud-based API system that allows Claude to interact with your coding context history. All data is stored in the cloud, enabling:

• Team context sharing - Share coding context with team members working on the same project
• Cross-device sync - Access your context history from anywhere
• Persistent storage - Context survives beyond local session

info

Lore MCP requires an API key. All operations (except lore_init) call the cloud API.

Architecture

┌─────────────────┐     ┌──────────────────┐     ┌─────────────────┐
│   Claude Code   │────▶│   Lore MCP       │────▶│   Lore API      │
│   (Client)      │     │   (Server)       │     │   (Cloud)       │
└─────────────────┘     └──────────────────┘     └─────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
                        LORE_API_KEY
                        (Required)

Available Tools

Lore MCP provides 5 tools:

lore_commit

Create a context commit to record AI coding decisions.

Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
intent	string	Yes	Primary goal of the coding session
files_changed	string[]	No	List of modified file paths
decision	string	No	The approach taken
assumptions	string[]	No	Assumptions made
alternatives	string[]	No	Alternative approaches considered

Example:

User: "Record this authentication implementation"
Claude: [Uses lore_commit]
{
  "intent": "Implement JWT authentication for API",
  "files_changed": ["src/auth/jwt.py", "src/middleware/auth.py"],
  "decision": "Used PyJWT with RS256 algorithm",
  "assumptions": ["Redis available for token blacklist"],
  "alternatives": ["Session-based auth", "OAuth2 only"]
}

---

lore_blame

Find the AI context that led to code changes. For team users, includes context from team members on the same project.

Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
file_path	string	Yes	Path to the file
line_number	int	No	Specific line number

Example:

User: "Why was src/auth/jwt.py written this way?"
Claude: [Uses lore_blame with file_path="src/auth/jwt.py"]

---

lore_search

Search context commits by keywords. For team users, includes results from team members on the same project.

Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
query	string	Yes	Search query
limit	int	No	Max results (default: 10)

---

lore_init

Initialize Lore by setting up Claude Code hooks for automatic context capture.

Configuration Locations

• MCP Server: ~/.claude.json (global, one-time setup)
• Hooks: .claude/settings.local.json (per-project, each init)

Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
force	bool	No	Re-setup even if already configured

---

lore_status

Get Lore status and usage information.

Parameters: None

Team Context Sharing

Lore automatically shares context with team members working on the same git repository.

How It Works

1. When you commit context, Lore records your project's git remote URL
2. Team members with the same git remote URL can see each other's contexts
3. lore_blame and lore_search automatically include team results

Requirements

• All team members must be on the same team in the dashboard
• Projects must have the same git remote URL (e.g., git@github.com:company/repo.git)
• Each team member needs their own API key

Best Practices

1. Be Specific About Intent

Bad:  "Fixed bugs"
Good: "Fixed race condition in session handling causing duplicate orders"

2. Record Alternatives

The most valuable context for future developers:

{
  "alternatives": [
    "Polling (rejected: server load)",
    "Long polling (rejected: complexity)",
    "WebSockets (chosen: real-time needed)"
  ]
}

3. Record After Significant Work

Don't wait until end of session. Record after each major decision.

4. Search Before Implementing

User: "Search for any authentication contexts"

Check if similar work was done before.

Error Handling

"API key not configured"

Set LORE_API_KEY in your MCP server config.

"Invalid API key"

Check your API key at dashboard.

"Usage limit exceeded"

You've reached your plan's monthly limit. Upgrade or wait for reset.

Automatic Context Capture

With hooks enabled (lore init --hooks):

• PostToolUse: Tracks file changes during session
• Stop: Auto-creates context commit when session ends

No manual lore_commit needed!

Pricing

Plan	Commits/Month	Team Members	Price
Free	100	1	$0
Pro	1,000	5	$9/mo
Team	Unlimited	Unlimited	$20/mo

Visit dashboard to manage your plan.