Claude Code

Claude Code is Anthropic’s AI coding agent that runs in your terminal. The recommended way to connect NeuralRepo is the MCP remote connector — one connector that works everywhere: Claude.ai, Claude Desktop, mobile, and Claude Code. The nrepo CLI is an optional complement for terminal-native workflows.

Method 1: MCP Remote Connector

The MCP connector gives Claude Code direct access to all nine NeuralRepo tools — save, search, update, delete, get, list tags, link, unlink, and code mode.

Setup

claude mcp add --transport http neuralrepo https://neuralrepo.com/mcp/

On your next Claude Code session, NeuralRepo tools are available. The first time Claude uses a tool, you will be prompted to authorize via OAuth.

Verify the connection:

claude mcp list

You should see neuralrepo listed with a status of connected or pending auth.

Using MCP in Claude Code

Once connected, you can ask Claude Code to interact with your ideas naturally:

• “Search my NeuralRepo for ideas about authentication”
• “Save this project concept as an idea tagged with api and v2”
• “Get the auth idea with full context and use it as the spec for this project”
• “Move that idea to building”

Tip

When starting a new project, ask Claude Code to search your NeuralRepo first. It often surfaces ideas and context you captured weeks ago that are directly relevant to what you are building now.

Caution

Let Claude carry the identifier; don’t retype the number you see. MCP tools key off the database id, while listings — in the CLI, the web app, and Claude’s own summaries — usually show the display #number. They are the same only on the very first account. Say “that idea” rather than “idea 42”. See Idea identifiers.

Two of the nine tools are Pro-only: link_ideas and unlink_ideas. Everything else — saving, searching, updating, deleting, listing tags, and code_mode — works on Free.

Method 2: nrepo CLI

The CLI provides direct command-line access to your NeuralRepo, which Claude Code can invoke as shell commands.

Setup

1. Install the CLI globally:

   npm install -g @neuralconfig/nrepo

2. Authenticate:

   nrepo login

   This opens a browser window and signs you in through GitHub, matching your account by verified primary email. What it stores is not a session token: it mints a real nrp_ API key labelled CLI (auto-generated) and writes it to ~/.config/neuralrepo/config.json. That path has no plan check, which is why the CLI works on Free.

3. (Optional) Install the NeuralRepo skill for Claude Code:

   nrepo install-skill

   This copies the skill to ~/.claude/skills/neuralrepo/SKILL.md. If ~/.claude does not exist the command refuses and exits 1 — install Claude Code first.

Tip

CLI output is human-readable by default on both login methods. Pass --json to any command for machine-parseable output in scripts, and --human to force text back on — --human wins when both are given.

Key Commands for Claude Code Workflows

# Search ideas
nrepo search "authentication flow"

# Pull an idea into the current project directory
nrepo pull 134 --to ./

# Push a new idea from a file
nrepo push "API redesign" --body "$(cat ./notes.md)" --tag api --tag v2

# Update status
nrepo move 134 building

# View the idea graph
nrepo graph 134

Every <id> above is the database id, not the #number in a listing — see CLI troubleshooting if a command reports Idea not found for an idea you can plainly see.

Recommended Workflow

The most productive pattern combines both methods:

1. Search for context. Ask Claude Code to search NeuralRepo via MCP: “Do I have any ideas about a CLI dashboard?”

2. Pull the idea locally. Use the CLI to bring the full idea into your project:

   nrepo pull 134 --to ./my-project

   This creates a markdown file with the idea title, body, tags, and related ideas. The .neuralrepo file it writes alongside is never read back — there is no sync in the other direction.

3. Build with context. Claude Code can read the pulled file and use it as a specification for implementation.

4. Update status. When you start building, update the idea:

   nrepo move 134 building

5. Ship and close. When deployed, mark it done:

   nrepo move 134 shipped

Example Conversation

You: Search my NeuralRepo for ideas about a REST API rate limiter

Claude Code: [calls search_ideas with query "REST API rate limiter"]
I found 2 relevant ideas:
  - #38 "Token bucket rate limiter for API" (exploring) — id 134
  - #41 "Sliding window rate limit with Redis" (captured) — id 137

You: Pull the token bucket one into this project

Claude Code: [runs: nrepo pull 134 --to ./]
Done. Created ./idea-134-token-bucket-rate-limiter.md

You: Read that file and implement the rate limiter based on the spec

Claude Code: [reads the file, implements the rate limiter]
I've implemented a token bucket rate limiter based on your idea spec...

You: Move it to building

Claude Code: [calls update_idea with id=134, status="building"]
Updated "Token bucket rate limiter for API" to "building".

Note the two numbers in the search result. #38 is the display number the web app and the CLI print; 134 is the database id every command and tool actually takes. Asking for “the token bucket one” lets Claude use the right one.

The NeuralRepo Skill

nrepo install-skill installs a Claude Code skill named neuralrepo, invocable as /neuralrepo with a search query or idea title as its argument. Its instructions teach Claude the CLI’s core patterns — search before pushing, pass --json when parsing output, and how to move ideas through statuses:

/neuralrepo changelog generator

Note

The skill drives the CLI, not the MCP connector. Its allowed-tools is Bash(nrepo *), so it needs the CLI installed and authenticated; it cannot call MCP tools. The two integrations complement each other but the skill is not a front-end for both.

Next Steps

MCP Server Reference Full documentation for all 9 MCP tools with parameter tables and examples.

Claude Code Workflow The brainstorm-then-build pattern across Claude and Claude Code.

Idea to Project Workflow End-to-end guide for turning a captured idea into a shipped project.

CLI Authentication Both login paths in detail, and what each one stores.