Memory Manager

Memory Manager

Purpose: Manage persistent memory across sessions through automated learning capture at key lifecycle events.

When to Use

This skill is automatically triggered at:

• Session start (read memory)
• Session end (update memory)
• After significant learning
• After creating new skills
• After completing major tasks

User can also manually invoke:

• "Update memory with this learning"
• "Log this to daily notes"
• "Add this to permanent knowledge"

Workflow

Automatic: Session Start

1. Read memory/MEMORY.md for context
2. Check memory/daily/YYYY-MM-DD.md for today's log
3. Review ~/.teleportation/workspace/WORKQUEUE.md for pending work
4. Load relevant skill documentation

Automatic: Session End

1. Summarize significant activities
2. Document technical decisions made
3. Log learnings discovered
4. Update MEMORY.md if new patterns emerged
5. Write to memory/daily/YYYY-MM-DD.md

Manual: Capture Learning

1. Identify the learning (pattern, pitfall, decision)
2. Determine if it's:
   • Temporary: Add to daily log only
   • Permanent: Add to MEMORY.md
3. Update appropriate file
4. Ensure MEMORY.md stays under 200 lines

Manual: Add Skill to Memory

1. Read newly created skill documentation
2. Add to "Skills Acquired" section in MEMORY.md
3. Log creation details to daily log
4. Update skill count

Memory File Structure

MEMORY.md

Purpose: Long-term operational knowledge

Sections:

1. Core Identity
2. Operational Protocols
3. Project Context
4. Critical Learnings
5. Skills Acquired
6. Standing Orders

Maintenance:

• Keep under 200 lines
• Link to detailed docs for deep topics
• Update after discovering new patterns
• Remove outdated information

daily/YYYY-MM-DD.md

Purpose: Detailed session history

Sections:

1. Session Summary
2. Key Activities
3. Technical Decisions
4. Learnings
5. Blockers
6. Next Steps
7. Files Modified

Maintenance:

• Create new file each day
• Use TEMPLATE.md for structure
• Be specific and detailed
• Include code examples when relevant

Decision Framework

When to Update MEMORY.md

Add to MEMORY.md if:

• ✅ Pattern applies to multiple scenarios
• ✅ Critical for system operation
• ✅ Prevents future mistakes
• ✅ Changes how we work

Keep in daily log if:

• ❌ One-time occurrence
• ❌ Context-specific detail
• ❌ Temporary workaround
• ❌ Already documented elsewhere

Memory Pruning

When MEMORY.md approaches 200 lines:

1. Identify content that's become outdated
2. Move detailed examples to separate docs
3. Link to deep-dive docs instead of inline
4. Archive superseded information

Examples

Example: Logging Technical Decision

Daily Log Entry:

## Technical Decisions

### ✅ Use Encrypted Credentials for API Keys
**Reasoning**: Security requirement - credentials must never be committed to git.

**Options considered**:
- ✅ Encrypted credential file (chosen - secure, portable)
- ❌ Environment variables only (rejected - not portable)
- ❌ System keychain only (rejected - platform-specific)

**Implementation**: Created CredentialManager class with AES-256 encryption.

**Files**: `lib/auth/credentials.js`, `lib/auth/credentials.test.js`

Example: Adding to Permanent Knowledge

MEMORY.md Update:

## Critical Learnings

### Security
- **Credential storage**: Use CredentialManager with AES-256 encryption
- **File permissions**: Credential files must be 600 (owner read/write only)
- **Git safety**: Never commit files from ~/.teleportation/ directory

Example: Session End Summary

Daily Log Entry:

# Daily Log - 2026-02-05

## Session Summary
**Focus**: Implementing self-improvement capabilities

## Key Activities
- Created memory system (MEMORY.md + daily logs)
- Added autonomous protocols to CLAUDE.md
- Built skill-acquisition workflow
- Integrated learning hooks

## Learnings
### Autonomous Operation
- Clear decision-making boundaries prevent analysis paralysis
- Memory must be consulted before responding and updated after learning
- Skills should be tested thoroughly before permanent storage

## Next Steps
1. Test memory system with real sessions
2. Validate automatic memory updates
3. Create additional foundational skills

Integration Points

Hook Integration

The memory manager integrates with Claude Code hooks:

session_start.mjs:

// Read memory at session start
const memoryPath = path.join(process.cwd(), 'memory/MEMORY.md');
const memory = await fs.readFile(memoryPath, 'utf-8');
// Context is available for Claude's first turn

session_end.mjs:

// Update daily log at session end
const today = new Date().toISOString().split('T')[0];
const logPath = path.join(process.cwd(), `memory/daily/${today}.md`);
// Append session summary

stop.mjs:

// Capture learnings after significant work
// Update memory if new patterns emerged

WORKQUEUE.md Integration

Memory complements the work queue:

WORKQUEUE.md (short-term):

• Current focus
• Pending tasks
• Blocked items

MEMORY.md (long-term):

• Patterns and principles
• Critical knowledge
• Permanent capabilities

Quality Checklist

Before updating memory:

• Learning is significant (not trivial)
• Clearly documented with examples
• Categorized appropriately (Security, Patterns, etc.)
• Won't become outdated quickly
• Actually useful for future sessions

Before completing session:

• Daily log has session summary
• Technical decisions documented
• Learnings captured
• Next steps identified
• Files modified listed

Common Pitfalls

• Issue: MEMORY.md becomes too long

  • Solution: Move detailed content to reference docs, keep only key points

• Issue: Daily logs are too brief

  • Solution: Include code examples, decision rationale, specific file paths

• Issue: Forgetting to update memory

  • Solution: Make it part of session end routine

• Issue: Storing temporary info in MEMORY.md

  • Solution: Use daily logs for session-specific details

Maintenance

Weekly

• Review week's daily logs
• Identify recurring patterns
• Promote important learnings to MEMORY.md
• Prune outdated MEMORY.md content

Monthly

• Archive old daily logs
• Refactor MEMORY.md structure
• Validate links to reference docs
• Clean up skills list

Related Skills

• skill-acquisition - Creates new skills, updates memory
• autonomous-improver - Uses memory for continuous improvement
• dev-workflow-orchestrator - Leverages memory for workflow decisions