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Beta Features

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Beta Features

<Warning> **Endless Mode is experimental and not included in the stable release.** You must manually switch to the beta branch to try it. The efficiency projections below are based on theoretical modeling, not production measurements. Expect slower performance than standard mode and potential bugs. </Warning>

Claude-Mem offers a beta channel for users who want to try experimental features before they're released to the stable channel.

Version Channel Switching

You can switch between stable and beta versions directly from the web viewer UI (the worker prints its URL on startup; default http://127.0.0.1:<worker-port>).

How to Access

  1. Open the Claude-Mem viewer (the worker prints its URL on startup)
  2. Click the Settings gear icon in the top-right
  3. Find the Version Channel section
  4. Click Try Beta (Endless Mode) to switch to beta, or Switch to Stable to return

What Happens When You Switch

When switching versions:

  1. Local changes are discarded - Any modifications in the plugin directory are reset
  2. Git fetch and checkout - The installed plugin switches to the target branch
  3. Dependencies reinstall - npm install runs to ensure correct dependencies
  4. Worker restarts automatically - The background service restarts with the new version

Your memory data is always preserved. The database at ~/.claude-mem/claude-mem.db is not affected by version switching. All your observations, sessions, and summaries remain intact.

Version Indicators

The Version Channel section shows your current status:

  • Stable (green badge) - You're running the production release
  • Beta (orange badge) - You're running the beta with experimental features

You'll also see the exact branch name (e.g., main for stable, beta/7.0 for beta).

Endless Mode (Beta)

The flagship experimental feature in beta is Endless Mode - a biomimetic memory architecture that dramatically extends how long Claude can maintain context in a session.

The Problem Endless Mode Solves

In standard Claude Code sessions:

  • Tool outputs (file reads, bash output, search results) accumulate in the context window
  • Each tool can add 1-10k+ tokens to the context
  • After ~50 tool uses, the context window fills up (~200k tokens)
  • You're forced to start a new session, losing conversational continuity

Worse, Claude re-synthesizes all previous tool outputs on every response. This is O(N²) complexity - quadratically growing both in tokens and compute.

How Endless Mode Works

Endless Mode applies a biomimetic memory architecture inspired by how human memory works:

Two-Tier Memory System:

Working Memory (Context Window):
  → Compressed observations only (~500 tokens each)
  → Fast, efficient, manageable

Archive Memory (Transcript File):
  → Full tool outputs preserved on disk
  → Perfect recall, searchable

The Key Innovation: After each tool use, Endless Mode:

  1. Waits for the worker to generate a compressed observation (blocking)
  2. Transforms the transcript file on disk
  3. Replaces the full tool output with the compressed observation
  4. Claude resumes with the compressed context

This transforms O(N²) scaling into O(N) - linear instead of quadratic.

Projected Results

Based on theoretical modeling (not production measurements):

  • Token savings: Significant reduction in context window usage
  • Efficiency gain: More tool uses before context exhaustion
  • Quality preservation: Observations cache the synthesis result, so no information is lost

Important Caveats

Endless Mode is experimental and has significant limitations:

  • Not in stable release - You must manually switch to the beta branch to use this feature
  • Still in development - May have bugs, breaking changes, or incomplete functionality
  • Slower than standard mode - Blocking observation generation adds latency to each tool use
  • Theoretical projections - The efficiency claims above are based on simulations, not real-world production data
  • Requires working database - Observations must save successfully for transformation
  • New architecture - Less battle-tested than standard mode

When to Use Beta

Consider switching to beta if you:

  • Frequently hit context window limits
  • Work on long, complex sessions with many tool uses
  • Want to help test and provide feedback on new features
  • Are comfortable with experimental software

When to Stay on Stable

Stay on stable if you:

  • Need maximum reliability for critical work
  • Prefer battle-tested, production-ready features
  • Don't frequently hit context limits
  • Want the smoothest, fastest experience

Checking for Updates

While on beta (or stable), you can check for updates:

  1. Open Settings in the viewer
  2. In the Version Channel section, click Check for Updates
  3. The plugin will pull the latest changes and restart

Switching Back

If you encounter issues on beta:

  1. Open Settings in the viewer
  2. Click Switch to Stable
  3. Wait for the worker to restart

Your memory data is preserved, and you'll be back on the stable release.

Providing Feedback

If you encounter bugs or have feedback about beta features:

  • Open an issue at GitHub Issues
  • Include your branch (beta/7.0 etc.) in the report
  • Describe what you expected vs. what happened

Next Steps