GBrain (garrytan/gbrain) validates the idea of persistent AI memory. 2,500+ stars on GitHub. But it requires Supabase, pgvector, bun, and an OpenAI API key before you can use it. Brainfile is the same idea — without the infrastructure tax.
GBrain: an open-source persistent-memory system for Claude Code (garrytan/gbrain, 2,500+ GitHub stars). It stores memories as vector embeddings in a Supabase/pgvector database, retrieved automatically via semantic search, and needs an OpenAI API key for the embeddings.
Brainfile: a library of maintained CLAUDE.md configurations — structured role and project context that Claude Code reads automatically from your project root, updated as Claude evolves.
Both aim to give Claude standing context instead of re-explaining yourself every session. GBrain does it with a database and semantic retrieval; Brainfile does it with a plain markdown file Claude reads on its own, no infrastructure required.
[PLACEHOLDER] sections with your info| Feature | GBrain | Brainfile |
|---|---|---|
| AI model support | OpenAI only (GPT-4, embeddings API required) | Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Cursor — any AI tool |
| Infrastructure required | Supabase + pgvector + bun + Node.js runtime | None — just your existing Claude subscription |
| Claude Code integration | Indirect — requires extra tooling to export to CLAUDE.md format | Native — configurations are CLAUDE.md files, work immediately |
| Setup time | 2–3 hours (database setup, CLI config, API keys) | 15–30 minutes (customize placeholders, save as CLAUDE.md) |
| Monthly infrastructure cost | Meaningful ongoing spend — Supabase free tier exhausted quickly, plus OpenAI API usage | No additional cost — included in your subscription |
| Profession-specific configurations | Generic memory storage — you write all the context yourself | 15 expert-crafted configurations (Developer, Founder, Trader, Marketer, and 11 more) |
| Long-term maintenance | You maintain the infrastructure, keep dependencies updated | We maintain and update configurations monthly as Claude evolves |
| Works offline / local | Requires database connection (Supabase is cloud-only) | CLAUDE.md files work completely offline — no external dependencies |
| Licensing | MIT (open source, no ongoing support) | Commercial — active development + support + monthly updates |
| Context approach | Vector embeddings (semantic search over stored memories) | Structured markdown (explicit, transparent, fully controllable) |
You're a developer who enjoys building and maintaining your own infrastructure, already have OpenAI API access, and want semantic memory search across thousands of stored memories with full control over every part of the system.
You want to spend time on your actual work, not setting up databases. You use Claude Code and want a CLAUDE.md that works immediately, with expert-crafted configurations you can customize in 30 minutes and updates as Claude evolves.
GBrain's vector memory and Brainfile's CLAUDE.md solve different problems — semantic recall across ad-hoc notes versus a maintained role-context file Claude reads automatically every session. If you already run GBrain's infrastructure, a CLAUDE.md costs nothing extra to add alongside it. Start with the 3 free configurations and see whether the persistent half is worth it.
GBrain uses vector embeddings — it stores memories as semantic chunks and retrieves relevant ones automatically based on your query. This is powerful for unstructured data at scale.
Brainfile uses structured markdown — everything is explicit, transparent, and fully in your control. You read it, you edit it, you know exactly what Claude sees. No black-box retrieval, no wondering why it did not include something.
15 production-ready CLAUDE.md configurations. Updated monthly. Works with your existing Claude subscription.
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