# Memex

> Search past Claude Code and Codex sessions. Triggers: /memex, "search old conversations", "find a past session", "recall a previous conversation", "search session history", "what did we discuss", "remember when we"

- Skill: `awesome-skills/memex` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 6 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add awesome-skills/memex`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/awesome-skills/memex/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: awesome-skills (https://skillmd.com/u/awesome-skills)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/awesome-skills/memex

---


# /memex — Search Past Claude & Codex Sessions

Search all past Claude Code and Codex sessions using full-text search with BM25 ranking.

## Usage

```bash
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py [QUERY] [--list] [--project PATH] [--days N] [--source claude|codex] [--limit N] [--offset N] [--summary-len N] [--no-summary] [--include-subagents] [--reindex] [--json] [--version] [--doctor] [--fix]
```

`<MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>` varies by installation. Common examples:
- `~/.claude/skills/memex`
- `~/.agents/skills/memex`
- `~/.codex/skills/memex`

## Examples

```bash
# Simple keyword search
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py "bufferStore"

# Phrase search (exact match)
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py '"ACP protocol"'

# Boolean query
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py "rust AND async"

# Prefix search
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py "buffer*"

# Filter by project and recency
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py "state machine" --project ~/my-project --days 7

# Search only Claude Code sessions
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py "buffer" --source claude

# Search only Codex sessions
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py "buffer" --source codex

# Force reindex
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py --reindex "test"

# List recent sessions
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py --list --limit 20

# List mode with optional text filter
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py --list "state machine" --limit 20

# Machine-readable JSON output
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py --json --source codex --list "auth api"

# Paginate results
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py --list --limit 10 --offset 10

# Include subagent sessions (hidden by default)
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py --list --include-subagents

# Hide summary lines
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py --list --no-summary

# Shorter summaries
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py --list --summary-len 80

# Show installed version metadata
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py --version

# Run local health checks
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py --doctor

# Run doctor with safe auto-fixes
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/recall.py --doctor --fix
```

## Query Syntax (FTS5)

- **Words**: `bufferStore` — matches stemmed variants (e.g., "discussing" matches "discuss")
- **Phrases**: `"ACP protocol"` — exact phrase match
- **Boolean**: `rust AND async`, `tauri OR electron`, `NOT deprecated`
- **Prefix**: `buffer*` — matches bufferStore, bufferMap, etc.
- **Combined**: `"state machine" AND test`

## After Finding a Match

To resume a session, `cd` into the project directory and use the appropriate command:

```bash
# Claude Code sessions [claude]
cd /path/to/project
claude --resume SESSION_ID

# Codex sessions [codex]
cd /path/to/project
codex resume SESSION_ID
```

If you just installed Memex into a Codex skill directory during an already-running Codex session, restart or reopen that session before expecting `/memex` to be available.

Each result includes a `File:` path. Use it to read the raw transcript (auto-detects format):

```bash
python3 <MEMEX_SKILL_DIR>/scripts/read_session.py <File-path-from-result>
```

If results are missing `File:` paths, run `--reindex` to backfill.

## Notes

- Index is stored at `~/.memex.db` (SQLite FTS5, auto-migrated from legacy paths)
- Indexes both `~/.claude/projects/` (Claude Code) and `~/.codex/sessions/` (Codex)
- Each session shows a one-line summary (first meaningful user message)
- Subagent sessions are hidden by default; use `--include-subagents` to show them
- `--project` matches an exact project path or child paths only
- Queries with special characters (e.g. dashes) are auto-quoted; on FTS error, falls back to LIKE search
- `--fix` can be used with `--doctor` to apply safe automatic fixes (e.g. auto-index when DB is empty)
- First run indexes all sessions (a few seconds); subsequent runs are incremental
- Automatically prunes orphaned DB rows when indexed source files are removed
- Only user and assistant messages are indexed; system noise (`<local-command-caveat>`, `<system-reminder>`, etc.) is filtered
- Results show `[claude]` or `[codex]` tags to indicate the source
- For simple CJK queries, adds substring fallback matching to improve recall