@gram 2
doc d_5778a001327643799617b998ea2e6e00
t Thegram Quickstart: Choose Local or Cloud, Then Read Safely
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# Thegram quickstart

Thegram keeps project memory in .gram documents with revision history. Choose one connection: the local Mac MCP server for a coding agent on the same Mac, or Thegram Cloud for ChatGPT/dots and OAuth-capable MCP clients. These are different routes and do not share automatic access to the same local-only folders.

## Choose the connection

| Route | Prerequisites | Where the memory lives | First setup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local coding agent | Apple silicon (arm64); macOS 26 or later; Node.js 22 or later; Thegram for Mac open | Local Mac folders; agent connection works only while the app is open | The person enables Agent Access in Thegram → Settings → Agent Connections. Use the host-specific flow in [the canonical local install guide](https://thegram.one/install/agents.md). |
| Thegram Cloud | Thegram account; ChatGPT or an OAuth-capable MCP client | Thegram Cloud vault; Google Drive only when separately connected/authorized | Add the MCP server at https://vault.thegram.one/mcp with OAuth. ChatGPT has a separate UI flow in [its canonical install guide](https://thegram.one/install/chatgpt.md). |

## First check: read-only

Start with inspection. Do not call gram_create or gram_patch during setup or this first check.

1. Call gram_capabilities. Expect the available read and write tools and server capacity; this is capability information, not proof that a particular document is accessible.
2. Call gram_projects. Expect only the projects and mounts available to the current connection. Use the exact returned project path or mount key; local Mac-only folders are not visible from cloud.
3. Call gram_brief for a path returned by gram_projects (or an existing document path supplied by the person). Expect the document title, current revision/hash, counts and recent changes in a compact summary.
4. Call gram_read on that same existing path with outline=true to see its headings. Then call gram_read again with a section name from the returned outline to read only that section. Expect the document path, revision/hash, requested section and Markdown.

Example sequence (tool calls, not shell commands): gram_capabilities → gram_projects → gram_brief(path=<returned path>) → gram_read(path=<same path>, outline=true) → gram_read(path=<same path>, section=<returned heading>). All calls above are read-only.

## What success looks like

You see the authorized project or vault, a real existing document and its current revision, and a short requested section. A successful plugin installation alone does not prove the app is running, OAuth is authorized, or that a selected document is in scope. Stop if a tool returns an error; follow the route-specific troubleshooting instead of changing mounts or retrying writes.

## Client distinctions

- Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode and OMP on the same Mac use Thegram for Mac's local MCP server. Their plugin commands, doctor check, user prompts and platform-specific differences are in the canonical local install guide; that file is the only maintained command source.
- ChatGPT chats and dots use the ChatGPT plugin/custom MCP UI, OAuth and the cloud endpoint. The published ChatGPT guide documents a ChatGPT Mac app install check; it does not claim a separate dot installation test.
- A generic MCP client uses the cloud Streamable HTTP endpoint with OAuth only if that client supports the documented sign-in flow. The ChatGPT UI sequence is not a generic-client command, and no provider-specific generic-client behavior is implied.

## Sources and prerequisites

The local guide states arm64, macOS 26 or later, Node.js 22 or later, and the app's Agent Connections setup. The ChatGPT guide states the cloud URL/OAuth flow. See [local setup](https://docs.thegram.one/guides/local-setup/) and [cloud setup](https://docs.thegram.one/guides/cloud-setup/) for each route.

Sources: https://thegram.one/install/agents.md · https://thegram.one/install/chatgpt.md · https://thegram.one/agent-memory/
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