Chat with Claude

What it does

Retrace has a built-in chat interface at /chat where you can talk to Claude directly. Claude has access to your conversation data through MCP tools, so you can ask questions like:

• "What did I talk about with Sarah last month?"
• "Summarize my conversations about the job search"
• "What topics come up most with my close friends?"

Claude responds with answers grounded in your actual conversations.

How it works

The chat uses your existing Claude subscription through the local Claude Code CLI. No API keys, no additional costs. Claude connects to your Retrace data through MCP (Model Context Protocol) tools that let it search conversations, look up people, and read segments.

The interface supports:

• Multi-turn conversations with full context
• Streaming responses (answers appear as they're generated)
• Claude's extended thinking for complex questions

What data Claude can see

Claude only sees what you allow. Retrace uses a label and permission system that controls which conversations each tool can access. You can set rules like:

• "Claude can see everything except #private conversations"
• "Claude can only see #work data"

Privacy

• Claude is accessed through your own subscription
• Your data is sent to Claude for processing (this is the part that "leaves your machine")
• You control exactly what Claude can access through labels and permissions
• Chat history is stored locally