IWE is an Apache-2.0, Rust-built, local-first knowledge graph and memory system that turns a markdown directory into a graph and exposes it through an editor LSP plus a CLI and an MCP server (iwec over stdio, also runnable via npx as @iwe-org/mcp). It pairs fuzzy/full-text search with graph structure so one retrieve call returns parent context, children, and cross-references, and it enforces declared blast-radius guards and schema validation on agent writes. It suits people who keep knowledge as plain markdown and want AI agents retrieving structured context rather than similarity guesses; it is not for those wanting cloud hosting, a built-in AI model, or a stable library-level API. The main risks are the agent's write access to the notes directory and the network dependency introduced by running the server through npx.
Strongest · Documentation 13/20 Weakest · Reliability 8/20
Static review · not runListed 2026-09-10
Read the FMRS scoring method →Runtime：Node.js · Prebuilt binary
{
"mcpServers": {
"iwe": {
"command": "iwec",
"cwd": "~/notes"
}
}
}
Shown for Claude Code. Other clients may use a different file or key (VS Code uses "servers") — the configurator below converts it.
{
"servers": {
"iwe": {
"command": "iwec",
"cwd": "~/notes"
}
}
}
Goes in your project's .vscode/mcp.json (VS Code uses a "servers" key).
claude mcp add iwe -- iwec
Run it in a terminal; replace any <…> placeholders with your own values first.
Run iwec (with cwd set to your notes directory) or npx -y @iwe-org/mcp in your client config; after connecting, the tool list should show find, retrieve, tree, update, and schema. You can also run iwe init first and ask the agent "what topics are in my notes?" to confirm it reads your markdown files.
Once connected, you can ask your AI assistant things like:
No matching tools
Listed from the project's documentation, not tested by this site.
IWE is a memory system for people and their AI agents: it turns a directory of markdown files into a knowledge graph. Notes stay as plain .md files in a local directory — no cloud, no database, no lock-in, versionable with git. The same graph has two interfaces: an LSP server for editors (VS Code, Neovim, Zed, Helix, and any LSP-capable editor) and a CLI plus an MCP server (iwec) for AI agents. The MCP server watches the files it serves, so edits made in your editor are reflected immediately. IWE has no built-in AI; it works alongside Claude, Codex, Gemini, and any tool that speaks the Model Context Protocol. Retrieval is by structure rather than similarity guessing: search finds an entry point, and retrieve/tree supply parent context, children, and cross-references in a single call. Agent writes are checked, not trusted — over MCP every mutation must declare expect guards stating how many documents and blocks it may touch, the whole update validates before anything is written, and a mismatch aborts with the offending blocks named. Frontmatter and document structure are validated against per-type document schemas, and mutations surface warnings for dangling links and orphan pages. Written in Rust under the Apache-2.0 license.
Secure local file read/write access
Standalone MCP server for Obsidian vaults: hybrid search, notes & files, structured memory, tasks, OAuth 2.1.
Secure remote access to your Obsidian vault over HTTPS with OAuth 2.0 authentication.
AI-native surgical editing of Word and OpenDocument files with formatting preservation
Source revision 1bbc0dc9251d Data synced 2026-10-19 Read the FMRS scoring method