Cursor + OpenRouter Setup

This guide walks you through setting up Claude-Mem in Cursor using OpenRouter. OpenRouter provides access to 100+ AI models from various providers, including several free options.

Step 1: Get an OpenRouter API Key

1. Go to OpenRouter
2. Sign up or sign in
3. Navigate to API Keys
4. Click Create Key
5. Copy your API key - you'll need it in Step 3

Step 2: Clone and Build Claude-Mem

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/thedotmack/claude-mem.git
cd claude-mem

# Install dependencies
bun install

# Build the project
bun run build

Step 3: Configure OpenRouter Provider

Option A: Interactive Setup (Recommended)

Run the setup wizard which guides you through everything:

bun run cursor:setup

When prompted for provider, select OpenRouter.

Option B: Manual Configuration

Create the settings file manually:

# Create settings directory
mkdir -p ~/.claude-mem

# Create settings file with OpenRouter configuration
cat > ~/.claude-mem/settings.json << 'EOF'
{
  "CLAUDE_MEM_PROVIDER": "openrouter",
  "CLAUDE_MEM_OPENROUTER_API_KEY": "YOUR_OPENROUTER_API_KEY"
}
EOF

Replace YOUR_OPENROUTER_API_KEY with your actual API key.

Then install hooks and start the worker:

bun run cursor:install
bun run worker:start

Step 4: Restart Cursor

Close and reopen Cursor IDE for the hooks to take effect.

Step 5: Verify Installation

# Check worker is running
bun run worker:status

# Check hooks are installed
bun run cursor:status

Open http://localhost:37777 to see the memory viewer.

Recommended Models

Free Models

Paid Models (Low Cost)

To specify a model, add to your settings:

{
  "CLAUDE_MEM_PROVIDER": "openrouter",
  "CLAUDE_MEM_OPENROUTER_API_KEY": "your-key",
  "CLAUDE_MEM_OPENROUTER_MODEL": "google/gemini-2.0-flash-exp:free"
}

Cost Management

OpenRouter charges per token. To manage costs:

1. Use free models: Several high-quality free models are available
2. Monitor usage: Check your OpenRouter dashboard
3. Set spending limits: Configure limits in OpenRouter settings

Troubleshooting

"OpenRouter API key not configured"

Ensure your settings file exists with the correct format:

cat ~/.claude-mem/settings.json

Should output something like:

{
  "CLAUDE_MEM_PROVIDER": "openrouter",
  "CLAUDE_MEM_OPENROUTER_API_KEY": "sk-or-..."
}

Model not found

1. Check the model ID is correct at OpenRouter Models
2. Some models may require payment - check if you have credits
3. Free models have :free suffix in their ID

Rate limits

OpenRouter rate limits vary by model and your account tier. If you hit limits:

1. Wait briefly and retry
2. Consider upgrading your OpenRouter account tier
3. Switch to a less popular model

API errors

Check the worker logs for details:

bun run worker:logs

Common issues:

• Invalid API key (regenerate at OpenRouter)
• Insufficient credits for paid models
• Model temporarily unavailable

Switching Providers Later

You can switch between OpenRouter, Gemini, and Claude SDK at any time by updating your settings. No restart required - changes take effect on the next observation.

{
  "CLAUDE_MEM_PROVIDER": "gemini"
}

Next Steps

• Cursor Integration Overview - All Cursor features
• Gemini Setup - Alternative free provider
• Configuration Reference - All settings options