Lode finds the code.
Vein remembers the why.
Your AI starts every session from zero. Vein fixes that.
Every time you start a new AI session, you pay the re-orient tax — re-explaining decisions, re-discovering workarounds, re-loading context. Vein stores that knowledge once, in .vein/, and any AI can pull it instantly.
The Problem
Your LLM reads code. It cannot read your mind.
- Why did you add that workaround on line 142?
- Why did you drop SQLite in week 3?
- Which random seed reproduces the race condition?
That knowledge lives in your head, a Slack thread, or nowhere. Vein gives it a home.
How it works
vein log — Capture in one line
No editor. No template. One command, one line of context. Three entry types, zero friction.
vein recall — Full-text + semantic search
No grep. No archaeology. Type what you remember, get the decision back. Works offline via FTS5. Add local Ollama for semantic search.
vein brief — 30-second AI session primer
Outputs ≤ 2K tokens: top decisions, active pitfalls, recent lore. Paste into any AI session. Oriented in seconds, not minutes.
vein ask — Natural language Q&A
Query your .vein/ archive in plain English. Works with local Ollama or any connected MCP client.
vein import — Bring in existing docs
Already have ADRs, changelogs, or design docs? Import them and they become searchable alongside new entries.
The .vein/ directory
Sits next to .git/. Committed to git. Clone the repo, get the memory.
Plain markdown + YAML frontmatter. Any editor can read it. Any AI can consume it. No proprietary format.
How Lode + Vein work together
Key properties
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| 🏠 Local-first | All data stays on your machine. No cloud sync required. |
| 🌿 Git-native | .vein/ committed to the repo. Clone = get the memory. |
| 🤖 AI-agnostic | Works with Claude, Gemini, ChatGPT, Cursor, any MCP client. |
| 📡 Offline capable | FTS5 recall works without network or Ollama. |
| 🔒 Zero telemetry | No analytics, no phoning home. |
| 📄 Plain text | Future-proof. Readable by humans and tools for decades. |
vs. Alternatives
| Capability | Vein | AI Memory | git log | ADR tools | Note RAG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stores why decisions were made | ✅ | ❌ | ⚠️ | ✅ | ⚠️ |
| Works across AI tools | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ |
| One-command capture | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ⚠️ |
| Lives with the repo | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| No cloud required | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ |
⚠️ = partial. AI Memory is complementary — use both. It stores user preferences; Vein stores project decisions.
Who it's for
🔌 MCP Server — coming in Phase 0.3
Any MCP client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Cline) will be able to query your .vein/ directly as a tool call — no copy-paste, no manual briefs.
Vein is in early access
CLI in active development. Watch the repo to follow along.
Part of the Lode Vein suite · rexcode.app