Memory Crystal exposes 24 tools that your AI can call directly during a session. They work identically whether you’re using the OpenClaw plugin or an MCP server — the same tool names, parameters, and behavior in every host.
The OpenClaw plugin and MCP server expose the same crystal_* tool surface. You call crystal_recall the same way in Claude Desktop, Cursor, or any other MCP-compatible client as you would in OpenClaw.
Session
| Tool | Description | Plugin | MCP | HTTP API |
|---|
crystal_wake | Get an opening briefing for the current session — active goals, recent decisions, and guardrails | Yes | Yes | POST /api/mcp/wake |
Recall & search
| Tool | Description | Plugin | MCP | HTTP API |
|---|
crystal_recall | Semantic search across all long-term memory | Yes | Yes | POST /api/mcp/recall |
crystal_what_do_i_know | Snapshot of everything known about a topic | Yes | Yes | POST /api/mcp/recall |
crystal_why_did_we | Decision archaeology — understand why a past decision was made | Yes | Yes | POST /api/mcp/recall |
crystal_recent | Fetch recent messages from short-term memory | Yes | Yes | POST /api/mcp/recent-messages |
crystal_search_messages | Search verbatim conversation history with hybrid BM25 + vector search over STM | Yes | Yes | POST /api/mcp/search-messages |
Memory management
| Tool | Description | Plugin | MCP | HTTP API |
|---|
crystal_remember | Store a memory manually — decisions, facts, lessons, anything worth keeping | Yes | Yes | POST /api/mcp/capture |
crystal_edit | Update an existing memory’s title, content, tags, store, or category | Yes | Yes | — |
crystal_forget | Archive or permanently delete a memory | Yes | Yes | POST /api/mcp/forget |
crystal_checkpoint | Save a labeled memory snapshot at a milestone or restore point | Yes | Yes | POST /api/mcp/checkpoint |
crystal_trace | Trace a memory back to the source conversation that created it | Yes | Yes | POST /api/mcp/trace |
Intelligence
| Tool | Description | Plugin | MCP | HTTP API |
|---|
crystal_who_owns | Find who owns, manages, or is responsible for a file, module, or area | Yes | Yes | — |
crystal_explain_connection | Explain the relationship between two concepts in the knowledge graph | Yes | Yes | — |
crystal_dependency_chain | Trace dependency chains between entities | Yes | Yes | — |
crystal_preflight | Pre-flight check before risky actions — returns relevant rules and lessons | Yes | Yes | POST /api/mcp/recall |
Utilities
| Tool | Description | Plugin | MCP | HTTP API |
|---|
crystal_stats | Memory and usage statistics | Yes | Yes | GET /api/mcp/stats |
crystal_set_scope | Override the channel scope for the current session | Yes | — | — |
crystal_ideas | List active Organic ideas and discoveries | Yes | Yes | — |
crystal_idea_action | Star, dismiss, or mark an Organic idea as read | Yes | Yes | — |
Knowledge bases
| Tool | Description | Plugin | MCP | HTTP API |
|---|
crystal_list_knowledge_bases | List available knowledge bases, including scoped and inactive collections | Yes | Yes | GET /api/knowledge-bases |
crystal_query_knowledge_base | Search a specific knowledge base for reference answers and source chunks | Yes | Yes | POST /api/knowledge-bases/:id/query |
crystal_import_knowledge | Import reference chunks into a knowledge base for durable retrieval | Yes | Yes | POST /api/knowledge-bases/:id/import |
| Tool | Description |
|---|
memory_search | Search long-term memory and return crystal/<id>.md paths for follow-up reads |
memory_get | Read a full memory by memoryId or crystal/<id>.md path |
Prefer crystal_recall and crystal_search_messages over the legacy tools for new integrations. The legacy tools remain available in the OpenClaw plugin for backwards compatibility.
What to read next
Recall tools
Detailed reference for all search and recall tools, including parameters and usage examples.
Remember & edit
How to store, update, and manage memories manually.
Search & scope
Deep dive on how Memory Crystal searches STM and LTM, channel scoping, and recall modes.
Knowledge bases
Import and query stable reference material alongside conversational memory.
