Agent Setup Overview

Every integration starts from the same core fact: your agent needs a way to call engram mcp.

Two setup depths

Full plugin path

Choose this when the client supports lifecycle hooks or richer system instructions.

You get features like:

• session start orchestration
• auto-import of synced memories
• compaction recovery guidance
• a built-in memory protocol

Bare MCP path

Choose this when you want the smallest setup surface.

You get:

• memory tools over stdio
• no plugin lifecycle automation
• more responsibility on the agent prompt to save and recover memory well

How to choose

• use full plugin support when available and trusted
• use bare MCP when you want portability, minimalism, or native platform simplicity

The next pages split by agent so the setup details stay concrete.