Install Powermem Memory

PowerMem Memory Guide

This skill folder includes supplementary docs:

How It Works

When User Asks to Install

Recommended order (TO C): (1) OpenClaw installed and default model + provider auth configured. (2) Python 3.10+ verified (python3 --version) *before* venv / pip install. (3) pip install powermem and pmem available to the gateway (PATH or pmemPath). (4) Install the memory-powermem plugin. No powermem.env is required for the default path.

The curl install.sh deploys the plugin and OpenClaw entries; with -y it may still create ~/.openclaw/powermem/powermem.env as an *optional* template—it does not run pip install powermem. That file is not required if the user relies on OpenClaw-injected LLM + default SQLite.

1. Check OpenClaw openclaw --version. If missing: npm install -g openclaw, openclaw onboard. Ensure agents.defaults.model is set (e.g. openai/gpt-4o-mini) and the corresponding provider / API key works for normal chat—the plugin reuses that for PowerMem when useOpenClawModel is true (default).

2. Check Python (required before venv / pip) PowerMem needs Python 3.10 or newer. Run python3 --version first; the minor version must be ≥ 10 (e.g. 3.10.x, 3.12.x). Optional strict check:

   python3 -c "import sys; assert sys.version_info >= (3, 10), 'Need Python 3.10+'; print(sys.version.split()[0], 'OK')"
   

3. Install PowerMem (CLI — default) - Venv recommended: e.g. python3 -m venv ~/.openclaw/powermem/.venv && source ~/.openclaw/powermem/.venv/bin/activate. - pip install powermem. - Defaults: Plugin injects SQLite at /powermem/data/powermem.db and LLM + embedding env vars derived from OpenClaw. Typical stateDir is ~/.openclaw unless the user uses another instance (OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR, --workdir). - Optional envFile: Path to a PowerMem .env for extra tuning. If the file exists, pmem loads it; OpenClaw-derived vars still override the same keys when useOpenClawModel is true. - useOpenClawModel: false: Disables injection; user must supply a complete PowerMem config via .env and/or environment variables. - Verify: pmem --version. If the gateway does not inherit the venv, set pmemPath to the absolute path of pmem.

4. HTTP path (enterprise / shared server) - Same Python 3.10+ requirement as CLI; then pip install powermem, .env in server working directory, powermem-server --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8000. - Check: curl -s http://localhost:8000/api/v1/system/health.

5. Install the plugin openclaw plugins install /path/to/memory-powermem, or install.sh from INSTALL.md.

6. Configure OpenClaw

CLI — minimal (recommended, matches plugin defaults): Do not set envFile unless you need a file. Example:

   openclaw config set plugins.enabled true
   openclaw config set plugins.slots.memory memory-powermem
   openclaw config set plugins.entries.memory-powermem.config.mode cli
   openclaw config set plugins.entries.memory-powermem.config.pmemPath pmem
   openclaw config set plugins.entries.memory-powermem.config.useOpenClawModel true --json
   openclaw config set plugins.entries.memory-powermem.config.autoCapture true --json
   openclaw config set plugins.entries.memory-powermem.config.autoRecall true --json
   openclaw config set plugins.entries.memory-powermem.config.inferOnAdd true --json
   

CLI — optional .env override file:

   openclaw config set plugins.entries.memory-powermem.config.envFile "$HOME/.openclaw/powermem/powermem.env"
   

(Only matters if that path exists; OpenClaw can still override LLM keys when useOpenClawModel is true.)

HTTP:

   openclaw config set plugins.entries.memory-powermem.config.mode http
   openclaw config set plugins.entries.memory-powermem.config.baseUrl http://localhost:8000
   

Optional: apiKey if the server uses auth.

7. Verify Restart gateway, then in another terminal:

   openclaw plugins list
   

Confirm memory-powermem is listed and its status is loaded. If it is missing or not loaded, fix install/slot config and restart the gateway before running LTM checks.

   openclaw ltm health
   openclaw ltm add "I prefer coffee in the morning"
   openclaw ltm search "coffee"
   

Available Tools

| Tool | Description | |------|-------------| | memory_recall | Search long-term memories. Params: query, optional limit, scoreThreshold. | | memory_store | Save text; optional infer. Params: text, optional importance. | | memory_forget | Delete by memoryId or by query search. |

Configuration (summary)

| Field | Default | Description | |-------|---------|-------------| | mode | cli | cli or http. | | baseUrl | — | Required for HTTP; if mode omitted and baseUrl set → HTTP. | | apiKey | — | HTTP server auth. | | envFile | — | Optional CLI .env (used only if file exists). | | pmemPath | pmem | CLI binary path. | | useOpenClawModel | true | Inject LLM/embedding from OpenClaw + default SQLite under state dir. | | recallLimit | 5 | Max memories per recall. | | recallScoreThreshold | 0 | Min score 0–1. | | autoCapture / autoRecall / inferOnAdd | true | Auto memory pipeline and infer on add. |

Daily Operations

openclaw gateway
openclaw ltm health
openclaw ltm add "Some fact to remember"
openclaw ltm search "query"
openclaw config set plugins.slots.memory none
openclaw config set plugins.slots.memory memory-powermem

Restart the gateway after slot or plugin config changes.

Troubleshooting

| Symptom | Fix | |---------|-----| | Python < 3.10 | Run step 2 first; upgrade Python or use python3.11 / python3.12 for venv and pip install. Do not skip the version check. | | pip install powermem fails | Confirm Python 3.10+, clean venv. See PowerMem issues. | | pmem not found | Activate venv or set pmemPath to the full binary. | | openclaw ltm health unhealthy (CLI) | Confirm agents.defaults.model and provider keys in OpenClaw; gateway version should expose plugin config + runtime.modelAuth. Or set useOpenClawModel: false and a full envFile. | | Health OK but add/search errors | Embedding/LLM mismatch for your provider—see gateway logs; try optional PowerMem .env from .env.example. | | Wrong SQLite file / instance | Data is under that OpenClaw instance’s stateDir (OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR / --workdir). | | HTTP mode | Server running, baseUrl correct, apiKey if enabled. | | openclaw plugins list: no memory-powermem, or status is not loaded | Re-run plugin install; set plugins.enabled true and plugins.slots.memory = memory-powermem; restart gateway; run openclaw plugins list again until memory-powermem shows loaded. |

| Symptom | Fix | |---------|-----| | Python < 3.10 | Run step 2 first; upgrade Python or use python3.11 / python3.12 for venv and pip install. Do not skip the version check. | | pip install powermem fails | Confirm Python 3.10+, clean venv. See PowerMem issues. | | pmem not found | Activate venv or set pmemPath to the full binary. | | openclaw ltm health unhealthy (CLI) | Confirm agents.defaults.model and provider keys in OpenClaw; gateway version should expose plugin config + runtime.modelAuth. Or set useOpenClawModel: false and a full envFile. | | Health OK but add/search errors | Embedding/LLM mismatch for your provider—see gateway logs; try optional PowerMem .env from .env.example. | | Wrong SQLite file / instance | Data is under that OpenClaw instance’s stateDir (OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR / --workdir). | | HTTP mode | Server running, baseUrl correct, apiKey if enabled. | | openclaw plugins list: no memory-powermem, or status is not loaded | Re-run plugin install; set plugins.enabled true and plugins.slots.memory = memory-powermem; restart gateway; run openclaw plugins list again until memory-powermem shows loaded. |