openmemory-setup.sh` fails with `Script not found "build"` after fresh clone

[lopeselio]

Summary
After following the setup instructions and running ./services/openmemory-setup.sh, the script fails because bun run build cannot find a build script inside services/openmemory/backend. The directory only contains the generated .env, so the build step never succeeds.

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Steps to Reproduce

1. Clone darkresearch/mallory and install dependencies.

   git clone https://github.com/darkresearch/mallory.git
   cd mallory
   bun install

2. Configure .env files as described in the README (apps/client/.env, apps/server/.env, and the root .env for OPENMEMORY_* values).
3. Make the setup script executable (if needed) and run it.

   chmod +x services/openmemory-setup.sh
   ./services/openmemory-setup.sh

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Expected Result
The script should either finish the OpenMemory build successfully, or clearly instruct the user to fetch the OpenMemory backend before running.

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Actual Result
The script stops with:

🚀 Setting up OpenMemory for Mallory...
✅ .env file already exists
🔨 Building OpenMemory...
error: Script not found "build"

services/openmemory/backend only contains .env; there are no sources or package.json, so Bun can’t run build. The .gitignore entry (services/openmemory/) suggests this directory is meant to be populated locally, but the README doesn’t explain how, leaving new users stuck.

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Environment

• macOS (Darwin 25.0.0)
• Node.js v23.10.0
• Bun 1.3.2
• Fresh clone of darkresearch/mallory (main, November 2025)

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Additional Context / Questions

• Should the setup script fetch the OpenMemory backend automatically?
• If manual installation is required, could the README include a section describing how to obtain and place the backend code under services/openmemory/backend before running the script?
• Happy to open a PR updating the docs once the expected flow is clarified.

[lopeselio]

@edgarpavlovsky i wanted to build for the x402 solana hackathon, however, the local setup after running bun run dev fails due to openmemory setup. Would appreciate if devs were given more clarity on how to properly set up the repo.

[lopeselio]

@edgarpavlovsky hey Edgar, I just got the open memory service working, locally

I did the following:

• Copied the official OpenMemory backend into services/openmemory/backend by cloning CaviraOSS/OpenMemory.
• Installed its dependencies (added esbuild@0.25.12 to package.json to match the currently shipped binary) and ran ./services/openmemory-setup.sh, which now completes the TypeScript build (tsc -p tsconfig.json) without errors.
• I can now start the memory service whenever you need it with cd services/openmemory/backend && bun start.
• Kept the .env keys (OPENMEMORY_URL, OPENMEMORY_API_KEY, etc.) in sync so Mallory can talk to it during dev.

Now I'm trying to replicate one of the PRs created here -> adding database setup instructions and migration files from 604baec and setting up my supabase database

I will shortly expand the readme, on how this can be achieved locally and bite off a PR, so that the set up becomes easier.

[edgarpavlovsky]

yeah good catch - you need to clone CaviraOSS/OpenMemory to get openmemory to work.

this should all probably be encompassed in the openmemory-setup.sh script, so that the setup script actually sets everything up.

do you want to put up a PR for an updated openmemory-setup.sh script?

[lopeselio]

yeah good catch - you need to clone CaviraOSS/OpenMemory to get openmemory to work.

this should all probably be encompassed in the openmemory-setup.sh script, so that the setup script actually sets everything up.

do you want to put up a PR for an updated openmemory-setup.sh script?

yes sure!

[lopeselio]

hey @edgarpavlovsky I believe my PR #103 to fix the issue had been closed since it had been already worked on in #98 . Therefore, shall i close this issue?