thedotmack/claude-mem · info

Claude Code is not installed. Claude-mem works best in Claud

Error message

Claude Code is not installed. Claude-mem works best in Claude Code, but also works with the IDEs below.

What it means

During `npx claude-mem install`, IDE detection found no `claude` binary on PATH. This is a friendly heads-up, not a failure: claude-mem works best with Claude Code but supports other IDEs, so the installer warns and then offers to install Claude Code, pick another IDE, or cancel.

Source

Thrown at src/npx-cli/commands/install.ts:608

      if (!IS_WINDOWS) {
        try {
          applyClaudeCodePathSetupIfNeeded();
        } catch (error: unknown) {
          // [ANTI-PATTERN IGNORED]: the failure is already surfaced to the user via the interactive-aware log.warn wrapper below (p.log.warn in a TTY, console.warn otherwise); PATH setup is best-effort after a successful install.
          log.warn(`Could not auto-apply PATH setup: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`);
        }
      }
      resolve(true);
    });
  });
}

async function promptForIDESelection(): Promise<string[]> {
  let detectedIDEs = detectInstalledIDEs();
  const claudeCodeInfo = detectedIDEs.find((ide) => ide.id === 'claude-code');

  if (claudeCodeInfo && !claudeCodeInfo.detected) {
    log.warn('Claude Code is not installed. Claude-mem works best in Claude Code, but also works with the IDEs below.');
    const choice = await p.select<'install' | 'skip' | 'cancel'>({
      message: 'Install Claude Code now?',
      options: [
        { value: 'install', label: 'Yes — install Claude Code (recommended)' },
        { value: 'skip', label: 'No — pick another IDE below' },
        { value: 'cancel', label: 'Cancel installation' },
      ],
      initialValue: 'install',
    });
    if (p.isCancel(choice) || choice === 'cancel') {
      p.cancel('Installation cancelled.');
      process.exit(0);
    }
    if (choice === 'install') {
      if (await installClaudeCode()) {
        detectedIDEs = detectInstalledIDEs();
      }
    }

View on GitHub (pinned to e2d1df569a)

Solutions

1. Accept the 'install' option in the prompt to let the installer set up Claude Code, then continue.
2. Or choose 'skip' and select the IDE you actually use (e.g. OpenCode) — claude-mem works with those too.
3. If Claude Code IS installed, fix PATH (`which claude`) and rerun `npx claude-mem install` so detection succeeds.
4. Install manually: `npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code`, then rerun the installer.

// Check before launching the installer non-interactively:
import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process';
const has = (cmd: string): boolean =>
  spawnSync('which', [cmd], { shell: process.platform === 'win32' }).status === 0;
if (!has('claude')) {
  // expect this info warning; pre-install Claude Code or pre-select another IDE
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running `npx claude-mem install` on a machine where `claude` is not on PATH — Claude Code never installed, installed via a Node version manager whose bin dir is not in this shell's PATH, or installed only for a different user.

Common situations: Fresh machine; Claude Code installed under an nvm/fnm Node prefix that a new shell does not load; CI/container environments; installing claude-mem for use with OpenCode or another supported IDE only.

Related errors

• No supported IDEs detected — pick the one(s) you plan to use
• API key prompt cancelled — leaving existing configuration un
• Gateway setup cancelled — leaving existing configuration unt
• `server ${commandLabel}` is a server runtime command, but CL
• CLAUDE_MEM_SERVER_DATABASE_URL is required for `server ${com

AI-assisted analysis of thedotmack/claude-mem@e2d1df569a (2026-08-20). Data as JSON: /api/errors/dc9e1f81a105cceb. Report an issue: GitHub.