--- title: "Managing Recall — which command do I run?" image: "https://recall.edheltzel.codes/og.png" --- > Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://recall.edheltzel.codes/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Managing Recall — which command do I run? Recall has three lifecycle actions — **install**, **update**, **uninstall** — and each is reachable two ways: the `recall` CLI (after the first install) and the bundled bash scripts (`install.sh` / `update.sh` / `uninstall.sh`). This page is the single "which command when" reference. For the step-by-step mechanics it links to the [Installation](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/installation/) and [Upgrading](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/upgrading/) guides rather than repeating them. > **Prerequisite:** Recall requires [Bun](https://bun.sh) (it uses `bun:sqlite` and Bun-native hooks). Install Bun before anything else. --- ## Quick decision table | Situation | Command | |---|---| | Fresh install - Claude plugin + hooks | Follow [Installation → Source checkout](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/installation/#source-checkout); see [Claude Integration](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/integrations/claude-code/) | | Fresh install - Codex plugin | Complete the [source checkout](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/installation/#source-checkout), then install the [Codex plugin](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/integrations/codex/) | | Fresh install — Pi native package | Source checkout, then `pi install /absolute/path/to/Recall`; MCP still needs the adapter ([Pi Integration](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/integrations/pi/)) | | Fresh install — omp native capture | Build and link the clean packed checkout ([omp Integration](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/integrations/omp/)); skills remain installer-owned | | Fresh install — Grok (no plugin path) | Complete the [source checkout](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/installation/#source-checkout) ([Grok Integration](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/integrations/grok/)) | | Fresh install — Cursor snippets | Merge `templates/cursor/`; no marketplace plugin | | Fresh install — local tarball (Grok / Claude hooks / detected hosts) | Follow [Installation → Local tarball](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/installation/#local-tarball) | | Fresh install — source / dev checkout | Follow [Installation → Source checkout](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/installation/#source-checkout) | | Re-install / repair a broken install | `recall install` (tarball) or `./packaging/install.sh` (source) — both idempotent | | Upgrade to the latest release — source checkout | `recall update` (or `./packaging/update.sh`) | | Upgrade a local-tarball install | Follow [Installation → Local tarball](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/installation/#local-tarball) | | Just check for a newer release | `recall update --check` — or `/do-recall-update` in Claude Code | | Uninstall, keep your memory database | Follow [Installation → Uninstalling](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/installation/#uninstalling) | | Uninstall **and** destroy the database + backups | Follow [Installation → Uninstalling](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/installation/#uninstalling) with `--purge` | | Install to / move the DB to a custom path | `./packaging/install.sh --db-path ` (new) · `recall migrate --to ` (existing) | | Repair install or Claude MCP configuration drift without reinstalling | `recall doctor --fix` | | See where everything resolves on disk | `recall path` | | Roll back a failed install or update | `./packaging/install.sh restore` — see [Recovery](#recovery) | The `recall update` / `recall uninstall` / `recall install` subcommands simply forward to the corresponding bash script, so the flags and behavior are identical — use whichever entry point you have on hand. --- ## Fresh install Recall installs runtime state under `~/.agents/Recall/`. **Preferred attach** for Claude Code, Codex, Pi, and omp is the native plugin/extension; see the [Quick Start](https://github.com/edheltzel/Recall/blob/main/README.md#quick-start). The installer script is for Grok, Claude hooks, and detected hosts that still need installer-owned files. Follow [Installation → Install Recall](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/installation/#install-recall) for the authoritative bootstrap procedure, then use the applicable host integration guide for native plugin or extension attachment. After any attach, **restart your agent** so it loads the plugin, extension, or snippets. For the managed quarterly aging job and its lifecycle behavior, see [Quarterly aging](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/installation/#quarterly-aging-cron). ### `install.sh` vs. `recall install` Both run the same canonical steps and are **idempotent** — re-running repairs symlinks and registrations, so there is no separate "re-install" command. They differ only in the bootstrap: - **`./packaging/install.sh`** (source checkout) builds from the working tree. Use it when developing, on a feature branch, or repairing a source install. - **`recall install`** (local tarball) skips `bun install` / `bun run build` / `bun link` (`RECALL_PACKAGED=1`) because the packed tarball already shipped a prebuilt binary and its dependencies. Use it after completing the [local-tarball procedure](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/installation/#local-tarball). --- ## Update > **Exit Claude Code / OpenCode / Pi first.** Updating reloads hooks and the `recall-mcp` server; a running session can hold stale state. `update.sh` warns you before it proceeds. **Source / git checkout — `recall update`** delegates to `./packaging/update.sh`. The update steps, flags, and rollback recipe live in the [Upgrading guide](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/upgrading/). If the installed release predates Claude MCP reconciliation, run `recall install` once after the first `recall update`. The already-running old updater cannot use lifecycle functions pulled during that same run; later updates reload changed lifecycle files automatically. See [First update from an older updater](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/upgrading/#first-update-from-an-older-updater). Common flags (forwarded verbatim to `update.sh`): `--check`, `--dry-run`, `--force`, `--no-migrate`, `--no-confirm`. Check-only, without changing anything: `recall update --check`, or `/do-recall-update` from inside Claude Code (see [Agent Skills](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/reference/agent-skills/)). Two situations the original scripts didn't spell out: - **You're on a feature branch or have local commits.** `recall update` does `git pull --ff-only origin main` plus a GitHub-release version check, so it will refuse to fast-forward (or report "already current") rather than clobber your work. That's expected. To rebuild from your **working tree** instead, run `./packaging/install.sh`. - **You installed from a local tarball.** Follow the [tarball upgrade procedure](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/installation/#local-tarball). --- ## Uninstall **`recall uninstall`** (delegates to `./packaging/uninstall.sh`) removes Recall's integration surgically and **preserves your memory database by default**. Exit your agent first. Run `recall uninstall --help` for the canonical forwarded flag list. The exact removal, preservation, purge, and per-host skip behavior is documented in [Installation → Uninstalling](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/installation/#uninstalling). Local-tarball installs also need [global package cleanup](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/installation/#uninstalling). --- ## Custom database location - **At install time:** `./packaging/install.sh --db-path /path/to/recall.db`, or set `RECALL_DB_PATH` (see [Installation → Environment Variables](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/installation/#environment-variables)). - **Relocate an existing DB:** `recall migrate --to /new/path/recall.db`. Add `--dry-run` to preview; see [CLI Reference → Admin](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/reference/cli/#admin) for affected files and rollback behavior. - **Check the current location:** `recall path` prints the resolved DB path, install root, and per-platform symlink state. --- ## Recovery - **Restore a backup** (install/update write timestamped backups under `~/.agents/Recall/backups/`): `./packaging/install.sh list`, then `./packaging/install.sh restore [TIMESTAMP]`. - **A failed update** writes `ROLLBACK.txt` into its backup directory with the exact revert commands. See [Upgrading → Rollback](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/upgrading/#rollback). Note: **DB schema downgrades are not supported** — if a migration ran, restore the DB file from the backup rather than just reverting the repo. - **A `--purge` uninstall** writes a `pre_purge_/` snapshot containing the database and canonical user-authored MEMORY files before deleting runtime state; identity and distilled memory are also materialized into the Claude MEMORY directory when safe. - **Install or Claude MCP configuration drift**: `recall doctor` reports drifted symlinks and stale Recall database paths. `recall doctor --fix` repairs them, backing up any user-modified file at a symlink target first. --- *See also: [Getting Started](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/) · [Installation](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/installation/) · [Upgrading](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/upgrading/) · [CLI Reference](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/reference/cli/) · [Troubleshooting](https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/troubleshooting/)* Source: https://recall.edheltzel.codes/docs/lifecycle/index.mdx