How do I install Vicem?

Copy the stdio config for Cursor, Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or VS Code on this page. It uses the publisher's install, not a PlugMCP proxy.

Does Vicem need an API key?

No required environment variable is listed on this record.

When was Vicem last checked?

Last checked 2026-10-28. Zero-dependency AI agent context baton & diet suite. Hand off sessions between Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, and Cursor with 80% fewer tokens.

Vicem MCP server

Vicem — Diet the Context, Pass the Baton

Hit Claude Code's 5-hour quota mid-feature? Or watching Cursor / Codex slow to a crawl after 150k tokens of context rot?

Vicem compacts your active coding session by 80–90% (via deterministic code skeletonization + lossless MCP on-demand rehydration) and hands off a clean .vicem/BATON.md across Claude Code, Cursor, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Antigravity IDE, and Web AI in 3 seconds — with 0 npm dependencies and 0 network calls.

⭐ Tip: Click Star (top-right) to bookmark this repo for the next time your coding agent hits a 5-hour quota limit or context rot.

⚡ 10-Second Quick Start (`npx` — Zero Install)

1. Run the Local Web Studio GUI or Pass a Baton Immediately

# Launch the local 3-column Desktop Utility GUI (12 agents, live token/quota telemetry)
npx -y @rakkunn/vicem gui

# Or pack a compressed baton from your current repo & hand off in 1 command
npx -y @rakkunn/vicem codex
npx -y @rakkunn/vicem claude
npx -y @rakkunn/vicem cursor

# Or auto-configure global `vicem` CLI + MCP servers across all installed agents
npx -y @rakkunn/vicem setup

2. Add as an MCP Server in 1 Line (Claude Code / Codex / Cursor)

# Claude Code
claude mcp add vicem -- npx -y @rakkunn/vicem mcp

# OpenAI Codex CLI
codex mcp add vicem -- npx -y @rakkunn/vicem mcp

Add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json, ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json, or claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vicem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@rakkunn/vicem", "mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Visual Overview

Vicem 3-Second Context Baton & Diet Demo

$ npx -y @rakkunn/vicem codex

  ╭─ VICEM CONTEXT BATON & DIET RECEIPT ──────────────────────────────────╮
  │ Source Session : Claude Code (sess-9f3a2c · 42 turns harvested)       │
  │ Context Diet   : 184,200 tok ($2.76) ──► 14,800 tok ($0.22) [-91.9%]  │
  │ Code Skeletons : 18 files compressed (31 bodies indexed in ledger)    │
  │ Security Guard : 2 secrets redacted (OPENAI_KEY, AWS_ACCESS_KEY)      │
  │ Relay Target   : OpenAI Codex CLI (interactive TTY handoff ready)     │
  ╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
[OK] [Vicem] Baton written to .vicem/BATON.md (182ms). Launching codex...

How Lossless Code Skeletonization + MCP Rehydration Works

Instead of lossy LLM summarization that forgets exact type contracts, Vicem keeps all imports, types, and signatures 100% intact inside .vicem/BATON.md while collapsing unchanged function bodies >= 12 lines into .vicem/ledger.json:

// What the receiving agent sees in .vicem/BATON.md (-85% tokens, disk file untouched):
export interface JwtPayload { sub: string; exp: number; role: 'admin' | 'user'; }
export async function verifySessionToken(rawToken: string, secret: string): Promise<JwtPayload> { /* ... */ }

When the receiving agent actually needs to edit verifySessionToken, it calls the MCP tool vicem_rehydrate("src/auth.ts", "verifySessionToken") to pull back the exact raw lines on demand (with automatic git HEAD and live-file SHA-256 staleness detection).

Pipeline Stage	Before Vicem (Raw Session)	After Vicem Baton & Diet	Token Savings
1. Session Handoff	40+ turns of raw JSONL / SQLite history locked in one tool	Extracts `Goal`, `Done`, `Immediate NEXT` & `git diff` into `.vicem/BATON.md`	< 3s handoff across 12+ CLI, IDE & Web AI agents
2. Code Skeletonizer	Full source files with unchanged function bodies (`~120,000 tok`)	Signatures & types 100% intact; bodies indexed in `.vicem/ledger.json`	-80% to -90% code tokens (lossless via `vicem_rehydrate`)
3. Test & Log Slimmer	Verbose ANSI spinners & `node_modules` stack frames (`~45,000 tok`)	Failing assertion + top 5 user-code stack frames (`~1,200 tok`)	-95% log noise
4. Data & Noise Gate	Lockfiles, build bundles, and huge JSON / CSV / SQL dumps	Lockfiles dropped; data files reduced to inferred schema + 2 sample rows	-98% data bloat
5. Safety & Secret Guard	Plaintext `.env` keys in logs & risk of placeholder overwrites	Local secret redaction + `SkeletonWriteGuard` pre-commit protection	0 leaked secrets & 0 npm dependencies

Direct CLI Commands & Offline Source Setup

# 1. Launch the interactive Desktop Utility GUI
vicem gui

# 2. Compact current bloated session in-place (Context Rot Rescue)
vicem self

# 3. Pass baton to any CLI, IDE, or Web AI target
vicem codex | vicem claude | vicem gemini | vicem cursor | vicem windsurf | vicem vscode | vicem web

# 4. Return baton to previous agent & auto-unmount temporary rules
vicem back

# 5. Extract & smart-patch code blocks from a Web AI clipboard reply
vicem land

# 6. Run <50ms environment & agent storage diagnostics
vicem doctor

git clone https://github.com/RAKKUNN/vicem.git && cd vicem
./vicem.mjs setup   # or double-click setup.command (macOS/Linux) / setup.bat (Windows)

For browser-only air-gapped environments without Node.js, open index.html directly in Chrome, Edge, Brave, or Safari (enforced by connect-src 'none' CSP).

Supply-Chain Verification & Minimal TCB

Verify zero third-party dependencies and cryptographic artifact integrity in one command:

# 1. Confirm zero npm dependencies
node -e "console.log(JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('package.json')).dependencies ?? '0 dependencies')"

# 2. Verify SHA-256 checksums of all core artifacts
shasum -a 256 -c SHA256SUMS

# 3. Run the 52-test automated suite
node --test test/*.test.mjs

Vicem — Diet the Context, Pass the Baton

Hit Claude Code's 5-hour quota mid-feature? Or watching Cursor / Codex slow to a crawl after 150k tokens of context rot?

Vicem compacts your active coding session by 80–90% (via deterministic code skeletonization + lossless MCP on-demand rehydration) and hands off a clean .vicem/BATON.md across Claude Code, Cursor, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Antigravity IDE, and Web AI in 3 seconds — with 0 npm dependencies and 0 network calls.

⭐ Tip: Click Star (top-right) to bookmark this repo for the next time your coding agent hits a 5-hour quota limit or context rot.

⚡ 10-Second Quick Start (`npx` — Zero Install)

1. Run the Local Web Studio GUI or Pass a Baton Immediately

# Launch the local 3-column Desktop Utility GUI (12 agents, live token/quota telemetry)
npx -y @rakkunn/vicem gui

# Or pack a compressed baton from your current repo & hand off in 1 command
npx -y @rakkunn/vicem codex
npx -y @rakkunn/vicem claude
npx -y @rakkunn/vicem cursor

# Or auto-configure global `vicem` CLI + MCP servers across all installed agents
npx -y @rakkunn/vicem setup

2. Add as an MCP Server in 1 Line (Claude Code / Codex / Cursor)

# Claude Code
claude mcp add vicem -- npx -y @rakkunn/vicem mcp

# OpenAI Codex CLI
codex mcp add vicem -- npx -y @rakkunn/vicem mcp

Add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json, ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json, or claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vicem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@rakkunn/vicem", "mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Visual Overview

Vicem 3-Second Context Baton & Diet Demo

$ npx -y @rakkunn/vicem codex

  ╭─ VICEM CONTEXT BATON & DIET RECEIPT ──────────────────────────────────╮
  │ Source Session : Claude Code (sess-9f3a2c · 42 turns harvested)       │
  │ Context Diet   : 184,200 tok ($2.76) ──► 14,800 tok ($0.22) [-91.9%]  │
  │ Code Skeletons : 18 files compressed (31 bodies indexed in ledger)    │
  │ Security Guard : 2 secrets redacted (OPENAI_KEY, AWS_ACCESS_KEY)      │
  │ Relay Target   : OpenAI Codex CLI (interactive TTY handoff ready)     │
  ╰───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
[OK] [Vicem] Baton written to .vicem/BATON.md (182ms). Launching codex...

How Lossless Code Skeletonization + MCP Rehydration Works

// What the receiving agent sees in .vicem/BATON.md (-85% tokens, disk file untouched):
export interface JwtPayload { sub: string; exp: number; role: 'admin' | 'user'; }
export async function verifySessionToken(rawToken: string, secret: string): Promise<JwtPayload> { /* ... */ }

Pipeline Stage	Before Vicem (Raw Session)	After Vicem Baton & Diet	Token Savings
1. Session Handoff	40+ turns of raw JSONL / SQLite history locked in one tool	Extracts `Goal`, `Done`, `Immediate NEXT` & `git diff` into `.vicem/BATON.md`	< 3s handoff across 12+ CLI, IDE & Web AI agents
2. Code Skeletonizer	Full source files with unchanged function bodies (`~120,000 tok`)	Signatures & types 100% intact; bodies indexed in `.vicem/ledger.json`	-80% to -90% code tokens (lossless via `vicem_rehydrate`)
3. Test & Log Slimmer	Verbose ANSI spinners & `node_modules` stack frames (`~45,000 tok`)	Failing assertion + top 5 user-code stack frames (`~1,200 tok`)	-95% log noise
4. Data & Noise Gate	Lockfiles, build bundles, and huge JSON / CSV / SQL dumps	Lockfiles dropped; data files reduced to inferred schema + 2 sample rows	-98% data bloat
5. Safety & Secret Guard	Plaintext `.env` keys in logs & risk of placeholder overwrites	Local secret redaction + `SkeletonWriteGuard` pre-commit protection	0 leaked secrets & 0 npm dependencies

Direct CLI Commands & Offline Source Setup

# 1. Launch the interactive Desktop Utility GUI
vicem gui

# 2. Compact current bloated session in-place (Context Rot Rescue)
vicem self

# 3. Pass baton to any CLI, IDE, or Web AI target
vicem codex | vicem claude | vicem gemini | vicem cursor | vicem windsurf | vicem vscode | vicem web

# 4. Return baton to previous agent & auto-unmount temporary rules
vicem back

# 5. Extract & smart-patch code blocks from a Web AI clipboard reply
vicem land

# 6. Run <50ms environment & agent storage diagnostics
vicem doctor

git clone https://github.com/RAKKUNN/vicem.git && cd vicem
./vicem.mjs setup   # or double-click setup.command (macOS/Linux) / setup.bat (Windows)

For browser-only air-gapped environments without Node.js, open index.html directly in Chrome, Edge, Brave, or Safari (enforced by connect-src 'none' CSP).

Supply-Chain Verification & Minimal TCB

Verify zero third-party dependencies and cryptographic artifact integrity in one command:

# 1. Confirm zero npm dependencies
node -e "console.log(JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('package.json')).dependencies ?? '0 dependencies')"

# 2. Verify SHA-256 checksums of all core artifacts
shasum -a 256 -c SHA256SUMS

# 3. Run the 52-test automated suite
node --test test/*.test.mjs

Vicem

Add this server

Host a copy with our keys and logs.

Server facts

Tools

Questions

How do I install Vicem?

Does Vicem need an API key?

What transport does Vicem use?

When was Vicem last checked?

Documentation

Vicem — Diet the Context, Pass the Baton

⚡ 10-Second Quick Start (`npx` — Zero Install)

1. Run the Local Web Studio GUI or Pass a Baton Immediately

2. Add as an MCP Server in 1 Line (Claude Code / Codex / Cursor)

Visual Overview

How Lossless Code Skeletonization + MCP Rehydration Works

Direct CLI Commands & Offline Source Setup

Supply-Chain Verification & Minimal TCB

Vicem

Add this server

Host a copy with our keys and logs.

Server facts

Tools

Questions

How do I install Vicem?

Does Vicem need an API key?

What transport does Vicem use?

When was Vicem last checked?

Documentation

Vicem — Diet the Context, Pass the Baton

⚡ 10-Second Quick Start (`npx` — Zero Install)

1. Run the Local Web Studio GUI or Pass a Baton Immediately

2. Add as an MCP Server in 1 Line (Claude Code / Codex / Cursor)

Visual Overview

How Lossless Code Skeletonization + MCP Rehydration Works

Direct CLI Commands & Offline Source Setup

Supply-Chain Verification & Minimal TCB

Add this server

Host a copy with our keys and logs.

Server facts

Tools

Questions

How do I install Vicem?

Does Vicem need an API key?

What transport does Vicem use?

When was Vicem last checked?

Documentation

Vicem — Diet the Context, Pass the Baton

⚡ 10-Second Quick Start (npx — Zero Install)

1. Run the Local Web Studio GUI or Pass a Baton Immediately

2. Add as an MCP Server in 1 Line (Claude Code / Codex / Cursor)

Visual Overview

How Lossless Code Skeletonization + MCP Rehydration Works

Direct CLI Commands & Offline Source Setup

Supply-Chain Verification & Minimal TCB

Add this server

Host a copy with our keys and logs.

Server facts

Tools

Questions

How do I install Vicem?

Does Vicem need an API key?

What transport does Vicem use?

When was Vicem last checked?

Documentation

Vicem — Diet the Context, Pass the Baton

⚡ 10-Second Quick Start (npx — Zero Install)

1. Run the Local Web Studio GUI or Pass a Baton Immediately

2. Add as an MCP Server in 1 Line (Claude Code / Codex / Cursor)

Visual Overview

How Lossless Code Skeletonization + MCP Rehydration Works

Direct CLI Commands & Offline Source Setup

Supply-Chain Verification & Minimal TCB

⚡ 10-Second Quick Start (`npx` — Zero Install)

⚡ 10-Second Quick Start (`npx` — Zero Install)