VS Code

Set up Basic Memory with VS Code for file-based knowledge management and development documentation

VS Code provides excellent support for Basic Memory through direct file editing, terminal integration, and rich markdown features, making it ideal for maintaining development documentation alongside your code.

Cloud Sync Workflow

Basic Memory Cloud enables editing locally in VS Code while your notes sync to the cloud.

bm cloud login

bm cloud setup

# For a project-specific docs folder
bm project add my-project --local-path ~/workspace/my-project/docs

# Or for a shared knowledge base
bm project add knowledge --local-path ~/Documents/knowledge

# Preview first (recommended)
bm project bisync --name my-project --resync --dry-run

# Establish baseline
bm project bisync --name my-project --resync

bm project bisync --name my-project

Setup

Configure VS Code Settings

Create or update .vscode/settings.json for enhanced markdown editing:

{
  "files.associations": {
    "*.md": "markdown"
  },
  "markdown.preview.breaks": true,
  "markdown.preview.linkify": true,
  "editor.wordWrap": "on",
  "editor.quickSuggestions": {
    "other": true,
    "comments": true,
    "strings": true
  },
  "search.exclude": {
    "**/node_modules": true,
    "**/.git": true
  }
}

Install Basic Memory (optional)

# Install Basic Memory
uv tool install basic-memory

# Or with pip
pip install basic-memory

Install Recommended Extensions

Essential Extensions:

• Markdown All in One - Rich markdown editing with preview
• Markdown Preview Enhanced - Advanced preview features
• Git Graph - Visual git history for your knowledge base
• Terminal - Built-in terminal for Basic Memory CLI

Integration Features

File-Based Editing

Terminal Integration

Set up CLI aliases for quick access:

# Add to your shell profile (.bashrc, .zshrc, etc.)
alias note="basic-memory tools write-note"
alias search="basic-memory tools search-notes --query"
alias recent="basic-memory tools recent-activity"

# Usage in VS Code terminal
note --title "Authentication Flow" --folder "architecture"
search "database patterns"
recent --timeframe="2 days"

Multi-Root Workspace

Combine multiple projects in one workspace:

{
  "folders": [
    {
      "name": "Project Code",
      "path": "./src"
    },
    {
      "name": "Documentation",
      "path": "./docs"
    },
    {
      "name": "Shared Knowledge",
      "path": "~/knowledge"
    }
  ],
  "settings": {
    "search.exclude": {
      "**/node_modules": true,
      "**/.git": true
    }
  }
}

Quick Start

Project Structure

Organize your project with integrated knowledge:

my-project/
├── src/
├── tests/
├── docs/           # Basic Memory project folder
│   ├── architecture/
│   ├── decisions/
│   ├── patterns/
│   └── api/
├── .vscode/
│   └── settings.json
└── README.md

Basic Usage

1. Edit documentation in VS Code with full IDE features
2. Use split editor - code on left, documentation on right
3. Terminal commands for quick Basic Memory operations
4. File explorer to navigate between code and docs
5. Git integration to version control everything together

VS Code Snippets

Create custom snippets for Basic Memory patterns. Add to .vscode/markdown.json:

{
  "Basic Memory Note": {
    "prefix": "bmnote",
    "body": [
      "---",
      "title: ${1:Note Title}",
      "tags: [${2:tag1, tag2}]",
      "---",
      "",
      "# ${1:Note Title}",
      "",
      "## Observations",
      "- [${3:category}] ${4:observation} #${5:tag}",
      "",
      "## Relations",
      "- ${6:relation_type} [[${7:Related Note}]]",
      "",
      "$0"
    ],
    "description": "Create a Basic Memory note template"
  }
}

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Performance Tips

• Exclude large files: Configure search.exclude appropriately
• Use workspace: Better performance than opening large folders
• Limit extensions: Only install needed extensions
• Regular cleanup: Archive old documentation periodically

Integration Benefits

Development Workflow

• Real-time documentation - Edit docs as you code
• Unified search - Search code and documentation together
• Git versioning - Track changes to both code and knowledge
• Split editing - View code and docs simultaneously
• Terminal access - Quick Basic Memory commands

File Management

• Direct editing - No need for external tools
• Rich preview - See formatted markdown in real-time
• Folder organization - Maintain clear structure
• Link navigation - Follow wikilinks between notes
• Syntax highlighting - Clear visual editing

Next Steps