How to Modify Source Code DeusData codebase-memory-mcp: A Complete Developer’s Guide

Yes, you can freely modify the source code of codebase-memory-mcp under its MIT license by cloning the repository, editing the C source files or TypeScript UI components, and rebuilding the binary with the provided Makefile.

The codebase-memory-mcp repository from DeusData is an open-source knowledge graph engine that analyzes codebases and stores relationships in a compressed SQLite database. Released under the permissive MIT license, the project allows developers to legally modify source code DeusData codebase-memory-mcp to implement custom language parsers, adjust ZSTD compression settings, or extend the web visualization interface.

Understanding the Repository Structure

Before making changes, familiarize yourself with the modular architecture. The codebase is organized into distinct components:

Component	Purpose	Key Source Files
Core Engine	Parses source files, builds knowledge graphs, and manages ZSTD-compressed storage	internal/cbm/zstd_store.c, internal/cbm/zstd_store.h
Graph UI	Optional Vite-powered SPA for visualizing the knowledge graph	graph-ui/vite.config.ts, graph-ui/tsconfig.json
Build Scripts	Automation for compiling, installing, and testing	scripts/setup.sh, scripts/install.sh, scripts/test.sh
Vendored Libraries	Statically linked dependencies (yyjson, zstd, mimalloc)	vendored/yyjson/yyjson.c, vendored/yyjson/yyjson.h

The core engine is implemented in pure C with no runtime dependencies, producing a self-contained binary when compiled.

How to Modify Source Code in codebase-memory-mcp

Follow this workflow to safely edit and rebuild the project.

1. Clone the Repository

Start by cloning the official repository to your local environment:

git clone https://github.com/DeusData/codebase-memory-mcp.git
cd codebase-memory-mcp

2. Edit Source Files

You can modify any file under internal/, graph-ui/, or scripts/ depending on your use case. For example, to add debug logging to the Zstandard storage layer, edit internal/cbm/zstd_store.c:

sed -i 's/return 0;/printf("ZSTD store initialized\\n"); return 0;/' internal/cbm/zstd_store.c

To customize the build process instead, edit Makefile.cbm. For UI modifications, update graph-ui/vite.config.ts or the TypeScript source files in the graph-ui/ directory.

3. Rebuild the Core Binary

Compile your changes using the dedicated Makefile. On Linux or macOS, run:

make -f Makefile.cbm

This produces the executable at build/c/codebase-memory-mcp. On Windows, use scripts/install.ps1 or compile under a MinGW environment using the same Makefile.

4. Verify Your Changes

Run the modified binary to confirm it functions correctly:

./build/c/codebase-memory-mcp --help
./build/c/codebase-memory-mcp cli index_repository --repo-path .

You should observe your modifications (such as the debug output from the storage layer) in the terminal.

5. Run the Test Suite

The repository contains over 5,000 automated tests that validate functionality. Execute the full test suite to ensure your changes do not break existing behavior:

scripts/test.sh

Alternatively, review the GitHub Actions workflows in .github/workflows/_test.yml to understand the CI validation process.

Common Modification Targets

When you modify source code DeusData codebase-memory-mcp, these are the most frequently customized components:

• internal/cbm/zstd_store.c: Adjust ZSTD compression levels or add custom serialization logic for the knowledge graph storage.
• graph-ui/vite.config.ts: Modify Vite build settings, proxy configurations, or plugin settings for the visualization interface.
• scripts/setup.sh: Customize installation logic for specific Linux distributions or macOS environments.
• vendored/yyjson/yyjson.c: Extend JSON parsing capabilities if integrating custom data formats.

Summary

• The MIT license permits unrestricted modification and redistribution of codebase-memory-mcp.
• Core modifications target internal/cbm/ (C source) and graph-ui/ (TypeScript/Vite).
• Use make -f Makefile.cbm to rebuild the zero-dependency binary after editing C code.
• Always run scripts/test.sh to validate changes against the 5,000+ automated tests.
• The repository structure separates concerns between the storage engine, web UI, and build automation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is codebase-memory-mcp open source?

Yes, codebase-memory-mcp is fully open-source and available on GitHub under the MIT license. This means the source code is publicly accessible, and anyone can view, fork, and modify it for personal or commercial use.

What programming languages are used in codebase-memory-mcp?

The project uses C for the core engine (including the ZSTD storage implementation in internal/cbm/zstd_store.c), TypeScript for the optional Graph UI (built with Vite), and Shell scripts for automation. It also vendors C libraries like yyjson and zstd for zero-dependency distribution.

How do I compile after modifying the C source code?

After editing files in internal/cbm/, run make -f Makefile.cbm from the repository root. This compiles the pure C code along with vendored dependencies into a standalone binary at build/c/codebase-memory-mcp without requiring external runtime libraries.

Can I redistribute my modified version of codebase-memory-mcp?

Yes, the MIT license explicitly allows redistribution of modified versions. You must include the original copyright notice and license text, but you can otherwise use your fork in proprietary projects, publish it to package managers like npm or PyPI (using the packaging scripts in pkg/npm/ and pkg/pypi/), or distribute pre-built binaries.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}