The original title is: "Claude Does Not Have One Memory System: A Map of Chat, Claude Code, and the API"

Short summary

Claude does not have a single unified memory system — Chat, Claude Code, and API-based applications each use different mechanisms with separate storage and boundaries. The article maps six memory containers across these surfaces, covering who manages each, where data lives, and how to remove it. Memory is not automatically shared across Chat, Code, and API, which explains why context seems inconsistent when switching between them.

• •Claude uses six distinct memory containers across Chat, Claude Code, and API with no automatic sharing
• •Chat memory and past chat search are separate features — one pre-stores context, the other retrieves on demand
• •CLAUDE.md and auto memory are repository/machine-scoped, while API memory tool is fully controlled by your application

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