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Modes & Languages

Claude-Mem uses a flexible Mode System to adapt its behavior, observation types, and output language. This allows you to switch between different workflows (like coding vs. email investigation) or languages without reinstalling the plugin.

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What is a Mode?

A “mode” is a configuration profile that defines:
  1. Observer Role: How Claude should analyze your work (e.g., “Software Engineer” vs. “Forensic Analyst”).
  2. Observation Types: Valid categories for memory (e.g., “Bug Fix”, “Feature” vs. “Person”, “Organization”).
  3. Concepts: Semantic tags for indexing (e.g., “Pattern”, “Trade-off”).
  4. Language: The language used for generating observations and summaries.

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Configuration

Set the active mode using the CLAUDE_MEM_MODE setting in ~/.claude-mem/settings.json: 
{
  "CLAUDE_MEM_MODE": "code--es"
}
Or via environment variable: 
export CLAUDE_MEM_MODE="code--fr"

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Available Modes

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Code Mode (Default)

The standard mode for software development. Captures bug fixes, features, refactors, and architectural decisions. ID: code

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Code Mode Variants

Behavioral variants that change how the code mode operates:
VariantMode IDDescription
Chillcode--chillProduces fewer observations. Only records things “painful to rediscover” - shipped features, architectural decisions, and non-obvious gotchas. Skips routine work and obvious changes.

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Multilingual Code Modes

Inherits all behavior from Code Mode but instructs Claude to generate all memory artifacts (titles, narratives, facts, summaries) in the target language.
LanguageMode IDNative Name
Arabiccode--arالعربية
Bengalicode--bnবাংলা
Chinesecode--zh中文
Czechcode--csČeština
Danishcode--daDansk
Dutchcode--nlNederlands
Finnishcode--fiSuomi
Frenchcode--frFrançais
Germancode--deDeutsch
Greekcode--elΕλληνικά
Hebrewcode--heעברית
Hindicode--hiहिन्दी
Hungariancode--huMagyar
Indonesiancode--idBahasa Indonesia
Italiancode--itItaliano
Japanesecode--ja日本語
Koreancode--ko한국어
Norwegiancode--noNorsk
Polishcode--plPolski
Portuguese (Brazil)code--pt-brPortuguês Brasileiro
Romaniancode--roRomână
Russiancode--ruРусский
Spanishcode--esEspañol
Swedishcode--svSvenska
Thaicode--thภาษาไทย
Turkishcode--trTürkçe
Ukrainiancode--ukУкраїнська
Vietnamesecode--viTiếng Việt

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Email Investigation Mode

A specialized mode for analyzing email dumps (e.g., FOIA releases, corporate archives). Focuses on identifying entities, relationships, timeline events, and key topics. ID: email-investigation Observation Types:
  • entity: Person, organization, or email address
  • relationship: Connection between entities
  • timeline-event: Time-stamped event in communication sequence
  • evidence: Supporting documentation or proof
  • anomaly: Suspicious pattern or irregularity
  • conclusion: Investigative finding or determination

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Mode Inheritance

The system supports inheritance using the -- separator. For example, code--es means:
  1. Load code (Parent) configuration.
  2. Load code--es (Child) configuration.
  3. Merge Child into Parent (Child overrides).
This allows for lightweight “remix” modes that only change specific aspects (like the language prompt) while keeping the core definitions intact.