---
title: Quickstart
description: Authenticate and connect your first agent in 2 minutes
---

# Quickstart

## 1. Create an account

Sign up at [memctl.com](https://memctl.com) with GitHub. Create an organization and project in the dashboard.

## 2. Authenticate

```bash
npx memctl auth
```

This prompts for your API token (get it from **Settings → API Tokens** in the dashboard), verifies it, and saves it to `~/.memctl/config.json`. You only do this once per machine.

## 3. Configure your agent

The fastest way is the init wizard:

```bash
npx memctl init
```

This walks you through selecting your IDE and writes the MCP config automatically.

Or use a targeted flag to skip prompts:

```bash
npx memctl init --claude    # Claude Code
npx memctl init --cursor    # Cursor
npx memctl init --windsurf  # Windsurf
npx memctl init --vscode    # VS Code + GitHub Copilot
npx memctl init --codex     # Codex
npx memctl init --roo       # Roo Code
npx memctl init --amazonq   # Amazon Q
npx memctl init --all       # All supported agents
```

After authenticating, your MCP config only needs the org and project - no token in project files:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "memctl": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "memctl@latest"],
      "env": {
        "MEMCTL_ORG": "your-org",
        "MEMCTL_PROJECT": "your-project"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

For agent-specific config locations and formats (VS Code, Cline, Zed, JetBrains, etc.), see the [full agent setup guides](/docs/agents).

## 4. Verify

```bash
npx memctl doctor
```

Or ask your agent: _"Use the memory tool with action capacity to check my memory usage."_

## 5. Start using

Your agent now has access to persistent memory. Try:

- _"Store our coding conventions as a coding_style context entry"_
- _"What architecture decisions have been recorded for this project?"_
- _"Create a branch plan for the auth refactor"_

## Alternative: inline token

If you prefer not to run `memctl auth` (CI, shared environments), include the token directly:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "memctl": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "memctl@latest"],
      "env": {
        "MEMCTL_TOKEN": "your-token",
        "MEMCTL_ORG": "your-org",
        "MEMCTL_PROJECT": "your-project"
      }
    }
  }
}
```
