shared-memory-mcp
Shared Memory MCP server for agentic teams - solving coordination tax with 6x token efficiency
Documentation
Shared Memory MCP Server
Solving coordination tax in agentic teams - where Opus + 4 Sonnets burns 15x tokens but only gets 1.9x performance.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18+
- npm or yarn
- Claude Desktop (for MCP integration)
The Problem
Current agentic team patterns have terrible token efficiency:
- Traditional: 1 request × 4K tokens = 4K tokens
- Agentic Team: 1 coordinator + 4 workers × 12K tokens each = 48K+ tokens
- Efficiency: 1.9x performance / 15x cost = 12% efficiency
This MCP server provides shared memory for agentic teams to achieve 6x token efficiency while maintaining coordination benefits.
Core Features
1. Context Deduplication
- Store shared context once, reference by key
- 10:1 compression ratio with intelligent summarization
- Workers get 100-token summaries instead of full context
2. Incremental State Sharing
- Append-only discovery system
- Workers share findings in real-time
- Delta updates prevent retransmission
3. Work Coordination
- Claim-based work distribution
- Dependency tracking and resolution
- Reactive task handoff between workers
4. Token Efficiency
- Context compression and lazy loading
- Delta updates since last version
- Expansion on demand for specific sections
Installation
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/haasonsaas/shared-memory-mcp.git
cd shared-memory-mcp
# Install dependencies
npm install
# Build the server
npm run buildQuick Start
# Run in development mode
npm run dev
# Or run the built server
npm start
# Test the agentic workflow
npm test
# or
npm run test-workflowUsage Example
// 1. Create agentic session (coordinator)
const session = await mcp.callTool('create_agentic_session', {
coordinator_id: 'opus-coordinator-1',
worker_ids: ['sonnet-1', 'sonnet-2', 'sonnet-3', 'sonnet-4'],
task_description: 'Analyze large codebase for performance issues',
codebase_files: [...], // Full context stored once
requirements: [...],
constraints: [...]
});
// 2. Workers get compressed context (not full retransmission)
const context = await mcp.callTool('get_worker_context', {
session_id: session.session_id,
worker_id: 'sonnet-1'
}); // Returns summary + reference, not full context
// 3. Publish work units for coordination
await mcp.callTool('publish_work_units', {
session_id: session.session_id,
work_units: [
{ unit_id: 'analyze-auth', type: 'security', priority: 'high' },
{ unit_id: 'optimize-db', type: 'performance', dependencies: ['analyze-auth'] }
]
});
// 4. Workers claim and execute
await mcp.callTool('claim_work_unit', {
session_id: session.session_id,
unit_id: 'analyze-auth',
worker_id: 'sonnet-1',
estimated_duration_minutes: 15
});
// 5. Share discoveries incrementally
await mcp.callTool('add_discovery', {
session_id: session.session_id,
worker_id: 'sonnet-1',
discovery_type: 'vulnerability_found',
data: { vulnerability: 'SQL injection in auth module' },
affects_workers: ['sonnet-2'] // Notify relevant workers
});
// 6. Get only new updates (delta, not full context)
const delta = await mcp.callTool('get_context_delta', {
session_id: session.session_id,
worker_id: 'sonnet-2',
since_version: 5 // Only get changes since version 5
});Architecture
┌─────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐
│ Opus Coordinator│ │ Shared Memory │
│ │────│ MCP Server │
│ - Task Planning │ │ │
│ - Work Units │ │ - Context Store │
│ - Coordination │ │ - Discovery Log │
└─────────────────┘ │ - Work Queue │
│ - Dependencies │
┌─────────────────┐ └─────────────────┘
│ Sonnet Workers │ │
│ │───────────┘
│ - Specialized │
│ - Parallel │ ┌─────────────────┐
│ - Coordinated │ │ Token Efficiency│
└─────────────────┘ │ │
│ 48K → 8K tokens │
│ 6x improvement │
│ 1200% better ROI│
└─────────────────┘Token Efficiency Strategies
Context Compression
// Instead of sending full context (12K tokens):
{
full_context: { /* massive object */ }
}
// Send compressed reference (100 tokens):
{
summary: "Task: Analyze TypeScript codebase...",
reference_key: "ctx_123",
expansion_hints: ["codebase_files", "requirements"]
}Delta Updates
// Instead of retransmitting everything:
get_full_context() // 12K tokens each time
// Send only changes:
get_context_delta(since_version: 5) // 200 tokensLazy Loading
// Workers request details only when needed:
expand_context_section("codebase_files") // 2K tokens
request_detail("file_content", "auth.ts") // 500 tokensAPI Reference
Session Management
- `create_agentic_session` - Initialize coordinator + workers
- `get_session_info` - Get session details
- `update_session_status` - Update session state
Context Management
- `get_worker_context` - Get compressed context for worker
- `expand_context_section` - Get detailed section data
- `get_context_delta` - Get incremental updates
Work Coordination
- `publish_work_units` - Publish available work
- `claim_work_unit` - Claim work for execution
- `update_work_status` - Update work progress
Discovery Sharing
- `add_discovery` - Share findings with team
- `get_discoveries_since` - Get recent discoveries
Dependency Resolution
- `declare_outputs` - Declare future outputs
- `await_dependency` - Wait for dependency
- `publish_output` - Publish output for others
MCP Configuration
For Claude Desktop
1. Copy the example configuration:
cp claude-desktop-config.example.json claude-desktop-config.json2. Edit `claude-desktop-config.json` and update the path to your installation:
{
"mcpServers": {
"shared-memory": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/absolute/path/to/shared-memory-mcp/dist/server.js"]
}
}
}3. Add this configuration to your Claude Desktop config file:
Note: The `claude-desktop-config.json` file is gitignored as it contains machine-specific paths.
Performance Benefits
| Metric | Traditional | Agentic (Current) | Shared Memory MCP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Token Usage | 4K | 48K+ | 8K |
| Performance Gain | 1x | 1.9x | 1.9x |
| Cost Efficiency | 100% | 12% | 1200% |
| Coordination | None | Poor | Excellent |
License
MIT
Frequently asked questions
What is shared-memory-mcp?
shared-memory-mcp is Shared Memory MCP server for agentic teams - solving coordination tax with 6x token efficiency
How do I install shared-memory-mcp?
Open the GitHub repository and follow its README. Most MCP servers are added to your client's MCP config, then called by your agent.
Is shared-memory-mcp open source?
Yes — it is hosted on GitHub at https://github.com/evalops/shared-memory-mcp and has 7 stars.
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