Readonly Mode

Readonly mode lets you lock a graph so it can be searched and read but not modified. This is useful for protecting production knowledge, shared reference data, or curated content that should not be changed by AI assistants or API consumers.

When to Use Readonly Mode

• Production knowledge base — lock down a curated set of notes so they serve as a stable reference
• Shared reference docs — protect indexed documentation from accidental modification
• Audited content — freeze skills or tasks after review
• Demo environments — let users explore without modifying data

Configuration

Set readonly: true on any graph in graph-memory.yaml:

projects:
  my-app:
    projectDir: "/path/to/my-app"
    graphs:
      knowledge:
        readonly: true
      skills:
        readonly: true

You can make any combination of graphs readonly. The read-only graphs are still loaded and fully searchable — only mutations are blocked.

Effect on MCP Tools

When a graph is readonly, all mutation tools for that graph are hidden from MCP clients. The AI assistant will not see notes_create, notes_update, notes_delete, etc. — it can only use read and search tools like notes_search, notes_list, and notes_get.

This means the AI cannot accidentally modify protected data, and it will not attempt operations that would fail.

Effect on Web UI

In the Web UI, write buttons (create, edit, delete) are hidden for readonly graphs. Users can browse, search, and read content but cannot make changes through the interface.

Effect on REST API

REST API mutation requests to a readonly graph return 403 Forbidden. Read and search endpoints work normally.

Effect on File Mirror

File mirroring is disabled for readonly graphs. Changes to .notes/, .tasks/, or .skills/ files are not imported back into a readonly graph. This prevents modifications through the filesystem from bypassing the readonly restriction.

How readonly, enabled, and access Interact

Setting	Graph loaded?	Read tools	Mutation tools	REST mutations
enabled: false	No	Hidden	Hidden	N/A
enabled: true (default)	Yes	Visible	Visible	Allowed
readonly: true	Yes	Visible	Hidden from MCP	403 Forbidden

Readonly vs. Per-User Access Control

Readonly mode and per-user access control serve different purposes:

Feature	Scope	Use case
readonly: true	Global — applies to everyone	Lock down a graph entirely
access: { alice: r }	Per-user — different levels per person	Alice can read, Bob can write

Readonly overrides per-user access. Even a user with rw access cannot mutate a readonly graph — they effectively have r access. If you need some users to write and others to only read, use per-user access control instead of readonly mode.

Example: Mixed Access

projects:
  my-app:
    projectDir: "/path/to/my-app"
    graphs:
      knowledge:
        access:
          alice: rw     # Alice can read and write
          bob: r        # Bob can only read
      skills:
        readonly: true  # Nobody can write, regardless of access level