# How It Works (agent skill)

> How It Works is an agent skill (a SKILL.md file) from thedotmack/claude-mem. Explain how claude-mem captures observations, when memory injection kicks in, and where data lives. It works with Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode and has 97,272 GitHub stars across a repository of 8 listed skills.

Explain how claude-mem captures observations, when memory injection kicks in, and where data lives. Use when the user asks "how does claude-mem work?" or "what is this thing doing?". Every Read, Edit, and Bash that Claude makes turns into a compressed observation. Observations get summarized at session end. Relevant ones get auto-injected into future prompts so the next session starts with context from the last one — no re-explaining the codebase, no re-discovering decisions.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | https://github.com/thedotmack/claude-mem |
| Skill path | plugin/skills/how-it-works/SKILL.md |
| Skill name | how-it-works |
| GitHub stars | 97,272 |
| Installs on skills.sh | not listed |
| License | Apache-2.0 |
| Skills in repo | 8 |
| Plugin marketplace | thedotmack |
| Official | no |
| Works with | Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, OpenCode |
| Category | Data & analysis |
| Last commit | Oct 6, 2026 |

## When it triggers

- Use when the user asks "how does claude-mem work?" or "what is this thing doing?".
- "how does claude-mem work?"
- "what is this thing doing?"

## Add this skill

### Claude Code

```sh
/plugin marketplace add thedotmack/claude-mem
/plugin install claude-mem@thedotmack
```

In the Claude apps, zip the skill folder and upload it under Customize > Skills > + > Upload a skill (code execution must be on).

### ChatGPT / Codex

```sh
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/thedotmack/claude-mem.git
cp -r claude-mem/plugin/skills/how-it-works .agents/skills/how-it-works   # repo; ~/.agents/skills for all projects
```

### Cursor

```sh
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/thedotmack/claude-mem.git
cp -r claude-mem/plugin/skills/how-it-works .cursor/skills/how-it-works   # project; ~/.cursor/skills for all projects
```

Sources (checked 2026-10-07): https://code.claude.com/docs/en/skills, https://support.claude.com/en/articles/12512180-using-skills-in-claude, https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/build-skills, https://cursor.com/docs/context/skills

---

Canonical page: https://appsgit.com/skills/thedotmack-how-it-works
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