--- title: "Set up an AI memory vault that Claude Code reads every session" description: "A setup and audit checklist for file-based AI memory: software, folders, CLAUDE.md, context files, names, tests, upkeep, and security." canonical: "https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/ai-memory-setup-checklist" date: "2026-01-28" modified: "2026-09-25" --- ## Site navigation - [Scale With Search](https://scalewithsearch.com/) - Real estate - Real estate - [Real estate](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate) - Work - Start here - [Send your brief](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#send-your-brief) - [Prepare your six-question brief](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#prepare-your-six-question-brief) - Build - [Site build, content library with SEO, signal desk](https://scalewithsearch.com/work) - For your business - Trades and home services - [Auto body and collision shops](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/auto-body-and-collision-shops) - [Foundation and home repair contractors](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/foundation-and-home-repair) - 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This is a reference list for file-based AI memory with Obsidian and Claude Code. Use it to set up a vault correctly the first time. Use it also to audit a setup that does not work. Work through the sections in order. Each one depends on the one before it. A skipped step shows up later as a problem that looks unrelated. ## Install the software 1. Install Obsidian from [obsidian.md](https://obsidian.md). 2. Create a vault in a folder near the top of your file system, such as Documents. Do not bury it deep in subfolders. 3. Install Claude Code with the steps in Anthropic's documentation. Check the current requirements on that page; some install methods need Node.js. Claude Code needs a paid Claude plan or an Anthropic API account. 4. Open a terminal and confirm that Claude Code starts. 5. Start Claude Code in the vault folder and confirm that it can list the files. ## Create the folder structure Start small and flat: - Create 3 to 6 top-level folders, one for each major area where Claude will help. - Name folders clearly. Use only letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores. - Do not nest subfolders yet. Add depth only when a folder becomes hard to scan. A business vault often starts with `Clients`, `Projects`, `SOPs` (standard operating procedures), `Brand`, `Products`, and `Team`. A personal vault often starts with `Work`, `Projects`, `Learning`, `Household`, `Health`, and `Finance`. ## Write the CLAUDE.md master file `CLAUDE.md` sits at the vault root. Claude Code reads it at the start of each session in that folder. Check each item: - The file name is exactly `CLAUDE.md`, in capital letters. - A **Who** section gives your name, role, and relevant background. - A **What** section lists your domains, with one line on each. - A **How** section states rules, voice guidelines, and preferences. - A **Now** section gives the current state, active work, and recent changes. - A **Key files** section links to important reference files. - The file stays under about 3,000 words at the start. - Sections use `##` headings. - Lists use bullets, not long paragraphs. Test the file: ask Claude to read it and summarize it. If the summary misses a section, the section is unclear. The [CLAUDE.md template for business context](/articles/claude-md-template-business-context) gives a fuller example. ## Add a context file to each domain folder Put a `_context.md` file in each domain folder. It is the short index for that folder: - a description of what the folder holds; - the naming conventions for files in the folder; - rules or guidelines for that domain; - a list of active items, such as clients or projects, with one line on each; - links to detail files for anything complex. Keep each `_context.md` under about 1,000 words. Move detail into separate files and link to them. [Context file versus CLAUDE.md](/articles/context-file-vs-claude-md-business-project) explains which facts belong in which file. ## Write each record file to a pattern Each record type gets the same sections every time. **Client files:** - the client name as the file name, for example `JohnSmith.md` or `CompanyName.md`; - contact information; - project scope or services provided; - client preferences and requirements; - communication history, major decisions only; - current status and next steps. **Project files:** - a descriptive project name as the file name, with no jargon; - the goal and scope; - the timeline and milestones; - the current status; - blockers and open questions; - next actions. **SOP files:** - the process name as the file name; - when to use the process; - the steps, in order; - the tools and systems involved; - common variations and exceptions; - the expected output or completion criteria. ## Apply one naming convention - Use one file name format across the vault. - Do not use spaces. Use hyphens or CamelCase. - Do not use special characters other than hyphens and underscores. - Use one date format. `YYYY-MM-DD` sorts correctly. - If you use prefixes, use them on every file of that type, for example `Client-` on every client file. - Use the `.md` extension for every Markdown file. | Good | Bad | Problem | |---|---|---| | `JohnSmith.md` | `john smith.md` | Space in the name | | `Website-Redesign-Project.md` | `Project #2.md` | Special character, no meaning | | `Client-Onboarding-SOP.md` | `SOP (old).md` | Ambiguous status | | `2026-01-28-Meeting-Notes.md` | `notes.md` | Too generic to find | ## Format the content for the reader - Use Markdown headings for sections (`##`, `###`). - Use bullets for lists. - Use bold for emphasis, not capital letters. - Keep paragraphs to 3 or 4 sentences. - Separate major sections with a horizontal rule (`---`). - Date every time-sensitive fact. - Use `[[wiki-links]]` to refer to other notes. Claude Code reads the link as text and can open the named note when it finds it. ## Test the setup Run these checks from a new Claude Code session in the vault: 1. Ask Claude to read `CLAUDE.md` and summarize it. 2. Make 3 or 4 requests that need different domain files. 3. Confirm that Claude finds and reads the `_context.md` files. 4. Confirm that Claude finds and reads individual record files. 5. Make one request that needs more than one file. 6. Ask Claude to write a new file to the vault. 7. Confirm that the new file appears correctly in Obsidian. ## Set up maintenance - Put a weekly vault review on your calendar. - Update the **Now** section after each significant session. - Choose a backup method: cloud sync, Git, or a manual copy. - Test a restore from the backup once. - Add version control if you can. It shows what changed and when. - Record your naming conventions in a file in the vault. - Create template files for record types you repeat. ## Check security - Decide what information is too sensitive for the vault. - Keep sensitive references in a separate location that does not sync to the cloud. - Remove every password and API key from plain-text files. - Check the sync settings if you use Dropbox, iCloud, or Google Drive. - Confirm that the `.obsidian` folder syncs; it holds your settings. - Encrypt sensitive files where you need to. - Search the vault for sensitive data that got in by accident, and remove it. Claude Code sends the content it reads to Anthropic as part of the conversation. Treat anything in the vault as something the assistant may read. The [AI memory retention and deletion policy](/articles/ai-memory-retention-and-deletion-policy) helps you decide what stays and for how long. ## Fix common setup problems **Claude cannot find files.** Check the file paths and use absolute paths in commands. Check spelling and capitalization. Confirm that the terminal can reach the vault folder. Navigate to the file in the terminal yourself to prove the path. **Answers do not reflect the vault.** Ask Claude to quote the file, which shows whether it read it. Confirm that `CLAUDE.md` tells Claude to read the vault files. Test with an explicit "read this file" request. Check that the file content is valid Markdown. **Information goes stale fast.** Update the files at the end of each session. Keep the weekly review. Keep the **Now** section short and easy to edit. Date every time-sensitive fact. **The vault grows too complex.** Archive old files each month. Keep `_context.md` files focused and move detail out. Limit folder depth. Remove duplicate information. ## Know what success looks like After two weeks, conversations start faster because you no longer explain context. Claude makes fewer context errors, you repeat yourself less, and suggestions fit your actual needs better. After two months, the vault has grown with new files, and the update habit is in place. Claude rarely asks for basic context. You also use the vault yourself as a reference. ## Keep your other tools The vault does not replace Notion, Google Docs, or your project tool. It adds a layer of plain-text context that the assistant reads. Many teams keep Notion or Google Docs for collaboration and use Obsidian with Claude Code for work where context must persist. [Notion versus Obsidian for Claude and AI agents](/articles/notion-vs-obsidian-claude-ai-agents) compares the two roles. ## Related: AI memory - [Build an AI second brain in one 90-minute session](/articles/how-to-build-ai-second-brain) - [Create an AI memory file in ten steps and load it every session](/articles/how-to-create-ai-memory-file) - [Give AI long-term memory with context files, retrieval, or a structured vault](/articles/how-to-give-ai-long-term-memory) ---- ```text .|########||. .|########||. .|########||. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. .#| .#. .#| .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. |#. .#. |#. .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| .||########||. .||########||. .||########||. 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