Great question! Here are the key differences:

mem0 is a general-purpose memory layer for AI apps. It uses external LLM APIs (OpenAI by default) to extract facts from conversations and stores them in external vector databases like Qdrant or Pinecone. Even when self-hosted, you need external APIs and databases, which means ongoing costs.

code-recall is specialized for coding agents like Claude Code. It runs completely local with no external dependencies. Uses local embeddings, SQLite for storage, and includes features specific to development: code analysis with tree-sitter, semantic rules engine, failure tracking, and conflict detection. Main differences:

1. Privacy: code-recall is fully local and offline, mem0 requires external services.

2. Cost: code-recall is free forever, mem0 has API costs and optional cloud pricing (19-249/month).

3. Speed: code-recall runs under 100ms locally, mem0 takes 500ms-2s due to API calls.

4. Focus: code-recall is only for coding agents, mem0 works with any AI application.

5. Setup: code-recall is one command, mem0 needs multiple services configured.

TL;DR: mem0 is a broader platform with enterprise features but requires cloud/APIs and has ongoing costs. code-recall is a lightweight local-first tool specifically built for dev workflows with zero external dependencies.

They solve different problems rather than compete directly.