Practical overview
When it fits
Use Arcrift when development work is spread across browser chats and coding assistants, and you want to retain project context between those sessions.
Who it is for
- Developers who want project decisions from browser AI chats available to coding assistants.
- People using supported browser chat services alongside Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf or Claude Desktop.
- Developers seeking an open-source, locally oriented memory layer.
Documented uses
- Save a browser AI conversation under a project name.
- Keep earlier project decisions searchable in a local knowledge graph.
- Pass stored conversation context to a coding assistant through MCP.
- Reduce repeated explanations when continuing AI-assisted development across tools.
Requirements & limits
The repository identifies Arcrift as MIT-licensed open-source software. The desktop setup documentation names Node.js and Ollama as prerequisites. No subscription is claimed in the project README.
- Browser capture requires the Arcrift backend to be running.
- The browser extension and MCP server are distinct components with separate setup paths.
- The MCP server communicates over stdio and can initialize its own storage connection without an HTTP backend.
- The repository documents Node.js, Ollama, a local SQLite knowledge graph and a TypeScript implementation.
Check current requirements in the official documentation. Source-based guidance does not mean OpenViST has run or independently tested this project.
Connect Arcrift’s MCP server to a coding assistant
Build the backend MCP server and add its path to an AI tool’s configuration.
Before you start
- Node.js and npm
- The Arcrift repository
- Claude Desktop, Claude Code or Cursor
Steps
From the backend directory, run the command below and the command below.
npm installnpm run buildRun the command below from the backend directory to print a configuration block with resolved paths.
npm run mcp:configAdd the server configuration to Claude Desktop or Cursor, or use the documented
claude mcp addcommand for Claude Code.
Expected outcome
The coding assistant is configured to connect to Arcrift’s MCP server, which communicates over stdio.
Guide limitations
- The documented setup describes configuration, not a tested connection or successful retrieval.
- The MCP server initializes its own storage connection; an HTTP backend is not required for this mode.
Install the browser extension and save a chat
Install the extension and save a conversation from a supported browser chat service.
Before you start
- The Arcrift backend running, such as through the desktop app
- A supported browser chat service
- For Chrome, Edge or Brave, the extension ZIP from GitHub Releases; for Firefox, the signed XPI
Steps
For Chrome, Edge or Brave, extract the downloaded ZIP to a permanent folder, open
chrome://extensions, enable Developer mode and select Load unpacked.For Firefox, drag the downloaded XPI into the open browser and confirm Add.
Open Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, Grok, Copilot or Mistral; use the Arcrift popup to enter a project name and select Save Chat.
Expected outcome
The chat is saved under the named project, and the README says auto-connect activates immediately.
Guide limitations
- The extension requires the Arcrift backend to be running.
- The guide describes saving chats, not verification of later retrieval.
Compare options for AI coding assistance
These projects document a common task and share a project role. This is a source-based comparison, not an execution benchmark or a guarantee of interchangeability.
| Project | Documented purpose | Platform | Access and requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arcrift | Save a browser AI conversation under a project name. | Browser Extension, Desktop, Self-hosted | The repository identifies Arcrift as MIT-licensed open-source software. The desktop setup documentation names Node.js and Ollama as prerequisites. No subscription is claimed in the project README. |
| Continuum — pouyahasanamreji | Store project lessons so coding agents can retrieve them across conversations. | CLI, Self-hosted, Server | The repository documents local Docker Compose and bare-metal development setups. Bare-metal startup requires Node 22.12.0 or later and pnpm 10.33 or later; the Compose path skips these host prerequisites. |
| Haft | Record the problem a project is solving and the options considered. | CLI, Self-hosted |
Sources & review
Source record details
- Source availability
- Active
- Sources checked
- 12 October 2026
- Original website title
- Eshaan-Nair/ArcRift · Official homepage title · retained in its source language

