# Memory Manage > Manage agent memory stored as files. Record, recall, search, update, and analyze memory content. Supports exploratory analysis for building context before complex tasks. Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/memory-manage` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/memory-manage` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/memory-manage/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: AI & ML - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/memory-manage --- # Memory Management Skill A Claude Code skill that implements the **Memory as File** concept — treating conversation knowledge as persistent files, managed entirely through the Coding Agent's native tools. ## Default Behavior - Default memory file: `memory.txt` in the current working directory - The user can specify a custom file path as the last argument to any command - If the memory file does not exist yet, create it automatically on the first `record` ## Commands Parse `$ARGUMENTS` to determine which operation to perform. The first word is the command, the rest are arguments. ### `recall` — Read Memory Usage: `/memory recall [file]` Read the full contents of the memory file using the **Read** tool and display it to the user. - If the file does not exist, inform the user that no memory has been recorded yet. - If the file is large (over 200 lines), provide a summary of its structure first, then ask if the user wants the full content. ### `record` — Append to Memory Usage: `/memory record [file]` Append new information to the memory file. **Format each entry as:** ``` ## [YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM] ``` - Use the current date and time for the timestamp - Derive a short topic label (3-5 words) from the content - If the file does not exist, create it with a header line: `# Memory File` - Use the **Read** tool to get existing content, then **Write** to append the new entry - Do NOT overwrite existing content — always append ### `update` — Modify Memory Usage: `/memory update -> [file]` Replace specific content in the memory file. - Use the **Read** tool to find the content - Use the **Edit** tool to perform the replacement - Confirm the change to the user by showing the before and after ### `search` — Search Memory Usage: `/memory search [file]` Search the memory file for matching content. - Use the **Grep** tool to find lines matching the query - Display matching entries with surrounding context (2 lines before and after) - If no matches are found, suggest alternative search terms based on the query ### `forget` — Remove from Memory Usage: `/memory forget [file]` Remove specific content from the memory file. - Use the **Read** tool to locate the content - Use the **Edit** tool to remove the matching section (including its timestamp header if it is a complete entry) - Confirm what was removed ### `analyze` — Exploratory Analysis Usage: `/memory analyze [file]` **This is the most important command.** Perform a comprehensive exploratory analysis of the memory file to build context for subsequent work. Steps: 1. Read the entire memory file using the **Read** tool 2. Produce a structured analysis report with the following sections: ``` ## Memory Analysis Report ### Summary One-paragraph overview of what the memory contains — its scope, depth, and overall theme. ### Topics Bulleted list of distinct topics and themes found in the memory, ordered by frequency or importance. ### Key Entities People, projects, tools, technologies, and decisions mentioned. Group by category. ### Timeline Chronological progression of events or knowledge, if timestamps or temporal references exist. ### Relationships Connections between topics — how different pieces of memory relate to each other. ### Knowledge Gaps What information is missing, incomplete, or unclear. What questions remain unanswered. ### Suggested Next Steps Concrete, actionable recommendations for what the agent (or user) could do next based on the memory content. These should be specific enough to serve as task descriptions. ``` 3. This report is designed to give the agent (or a sub-agent) a **basic info foundation** — enough context to understand the situation and continue working on downstream tasks without needing to re-read the full memory file. ## When No Command Is Specified If `/memory` is invoked without arguments or with an unrecognized command: - Display a brief help message listing all available commands with one-line descriptions - Default to `analyze` if the memory file exists, or inform the user to start with `record` if it does not ## Design Principles - **Files are memory** — all knowledge is persisted as human-readable text files - **Native tools only** — use Read, Write, Edit, Grep, and Glob; no external dependencies - **Human-auditable** — users can open and edit memory files directly at any time - **Timestamp everything** — every recorded entry gets a timestamp for chronological tracking - **Analyze before acting** — the `analyze` command provides the foundation for informed decision-making --- > Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/iiiiqiiii) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.