[Feature]: Add Claude Desktop Cowork support documentation and Cowork option in issue template

[kevintseng]

Component

Documentation

Problem Statement

When installing the MeMesh plugin in Claude Desktop Cowork mode, there is no documentation explaining:

1. Cowork environment constraints — read-only plugin filesystem, blocked node-gyp compilation, ephemeral session storage
2. Expected behavior — which features work in Cowork vs Claude Code
3. Troubleshooting steps — common errors and how to resolve them

Additionally, the bug report issue template (.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.yml) has a "Client" dropdown with options: Claude Code, Cursor, Other. "Claude Desktop (Cowork)" is missing, making it harder to report Cowork-specific issues.

As a user testing the plugin in Cowork mode, the MCP server fails silently with no guidance on what went wrong or how to resolve it.

Proposed Solution

1. Add "Claude Desktop (Cowork)" to the Client dropdown in .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.yml:

   - type: dropdown
     id: client
     attributes:
       label: Client
       options:
         - Claude Code
         - Claude Desktop (Cowork)
         - Cursor
         - Other

2. Create a COWORK_SETUP.md document covering:

   • Sandbox constraints (read-only filesystem, blocked network for node-gyp)
   • Which features are available (cloud sync mode when local SQLite is unavailable)
   • Configuration via environment variables (MEMESH_API_KEY, etc.)
   • Known limitations and workarounds

3. Update TROUBLESHOOTING.md with Cowork-specific sections:

   • "MCP server fails to start in Cowork" → explain native module limitation
   • "Database not persisted between sessions" → explain ephemeral storage
   • "Cannot install dependencies" → explain read-only filesystem

4. Add a "Cowork Compatibility" section to README.md with a quick summary and link to COWORK_SETUP.md

Alternatives Considered

• Rely on users to figure out Cowork limitations on their own (poor UX, leads to confusion)
• Only document in README without dedicated troubleshooting guide (insufficient for debugging complex native module issues)
• Add Cowork info to existing docs without a dedicated page (harder to find, clutters existing docs)

Priority

Nice to have

Contribution

• I'm willing to implement this feature
• I can help with testing
• I can help with documentation

Additional Context

Discovered during testing in Claude Desktop Cowork mode (Ubuntu 22.04 ARM64 sandbox).

Environment details:

• OS: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, ARM64 (aarch64)
• Node.js: v22.22.0
• Plugin version: 2.8.10

The plugin installs successfully but the MCP server fails silently — no memesh tools appear in the tool list. Users currently have zero guidance on what went wrong. Related to #73 and #74.

[kevintseng]

✅ Completed - Documentation Added

All requested documentation has been added in commit 0b9bac3 (part of PR #79).

What's Implemented

1. Bug Report Template Updated ✅

File: .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.yml

Added "Claude Desktop (Cowork)" to the Client dropdown:

- Claude Code CLI
- Claude Desktop (Cowork)  # ← NEW
- Cursor
- VS Code
- Other

2. Comprehensive Cowork Guide Created ✅

File: docs/COWORK_SUPPORT.md

Covers:

• ✅ Current status and limitations
• ✅ What works vs. what doesn't
• ✅ System architecture comparison (CLI vs Cowork)
• ✅ Why limitations exist (sandbox constraints)
• ✅ Installation instructions
• ✅ Expected behavior examples
• ✅ Future roadmap (cloud-first memory)
• ✅ Troubleshooting guide
• ✅ Recommendations (CLI vs Cowork)

3. README Updated ✅

File: README.md

Added "Claude Desktop Cowork Compatibility" section under Integration:

Feature	Status	Notes
MCP Server	✅ Works	Cloud-only mode
Basic Commands	✅ Works	buddy-help, list-skills, etc.
Memory Tools	❌ Disabled	recall-memory, create-entities, etc.
Cloud Sync	✅ Works	Requires MEMESH_API_KEY
Local Knowledge Graph	❌ Unavailable	Native module limitation

Recommendation: Use CLI version for full functionality

Preview

📖 View the full documentation: docs/COWORK_SUPPORT.md

Next Steps

This documentation will be available after PR #79 is merged. It clearly explains:

• Current state of Cowork support
• Technical reasons for limitations
• Future plans for full support

Users reporting Cowork issues can now select the correct client type and be directed to comprehensive troubleshooting guidance.

Closes #75

[kevintseng]

Documentation completed in commit 0b9bac3 (PR #79). All requested items implemented.