> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.claude-mem.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Modes & Languages

> Configure Claude-Mem behavior and language with the Mode System

# 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.

## 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.

## Configuration

Set the active mode using the `CLAUDE_MEM_MODE` setting in `~/.claude-mem/settings.json`:

```json theme={null}
{
  "CLAUDE_MEM_MODE": "code--es"
}
```

Or via environment variable:

```bash theme={null}
export CLAUDE_MEM_MODE="code--fr"
```

## Available Modes

### Code Mode (Default)

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

**ID:** `code`

### Code Mode Variants

Behavioral variants that change how the code mode operates:

| Variant   | Mode ID       | Description                                                                                                                                                                            |
| --------- | ------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Chill** | `code--chill` | Produces fewer observations. Only records things "painful to rediscover" - shipped features, architectural decisions, and non-obvious gotchas. Skips routine work and obvious changes. |

### 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.

| Language                | Mode ID       | Native Name          |
| ----------------------- | ------------- | -------------------- |
| **Arabic**              | `code--ar`    | العربية              |
| **Bengali**             | `code--bn`    | বাংলা                |
| **Chinese**             | `code--zh`    | 中文                   |
| **Czech**               | `code--cs`    | Čeština              |
| **Danish**              | `code--da`    | Dansk                |
| **Dutch**               | `code--nl`    | Nederlands           |
| **Finnish**             | `code--fi`    | Suomi                |
| **French**              | `code--fr`    | Français             |
| **German**              | `code--de`    | Deutsch              |
| **Greek**               | `code--el`    | Ελληνικά             |
| **Hebrew**              | `code--he`    | עברית                |
| **Hindi**               | `code--hi`    | हिन्दी               |
| **Hungarian**           | `code--hu`    | Magyar               |
| **Indonesian**          | `code--id`    | Bahasa Indonesia     |
| **Urdu**                | `code--ur`    | اردو                 |
| **Italian**             | `code--it`    | Italiano             |
| **Japanese**            | `code--ja`    | 日本語                  |
| **Korean**              | `code--ko`    | 한국어                  |
| **Norwegian**           | `code--no`    | Norsk                |
| **Polish**              | `code--pl`    | Polski               |
| **Portuguese (Brazil)** | `code--pt-br` | Português Brasileiro |
| **Romanian**            | `code--ro`    | Română               |
| **Russian**             | `code--ru`    | Русский              |
| **Spanish**             | `code--es`    | Español              |
| **Swedish**             | `code--sv`    | Svenska              |
| **Thai**                | `code--th`    | ภาษาไทย              |
| **Turkish**             | `code--tr`    | Türkçe               |
| **Ukrainian**           | `code--uk`    | Українська           |
| **Vietnamese**          | `code--vi`    | Tiếng Việt           |

### 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

## 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.