memory-custodian

MemoryCustodian

MemoryCustodian stores durable project memory as local, human-readable Markdown files under docs/memory/.

Use it to:

• load the minimum relevant project memory for the current task
• update project memory after meaningful decisions
• compact unprocessed memory candidates
• forget or tombstone memory the user no longer wants used
• keep platform entry files such as AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, and GEMINI.md short

Hard Gate

In a project that contains MemoryCustodian memory, do not start substantial planning, implementation, debugging, or review until startup loading is complete:

1. Read manifest.md if present. If the memory directory exists but the file does not, stop as described below.
2. Read brief.md before substantial work.
3. Choose and expose one canonical task category.
4. Supply touched/planned repo-relative paths, or an explicit area when paths are not yet known.
5. Use read --strict-routing (or the same shared routing implementation) and do not start substantial work unless the context pack is approved.
6. Respect shared constraints and do-not-use.md before local preferences or task convenience.

If no memory directory exists, continue normally and offer initialization only when useful. If the memory directory exists but manifest.md is missing, stop memory loading and report an incomplete or corrupted setup. Do not infer routes; restore the manifest, migrate, or carefully reinitialize the project first.

Core Workflow

1. Locate memory at docs/memory/manifest.md, or another project-declared memory directory under docs/.
2. Read manifest.md; it is the sole authority for runtime task-to-file routing.
3. Read brief.md before substantial work.
4. Choose a canonical task and make that choice observable.
5. Collect touched/planned paths before implementation, debugging, or review; use an explicit area for high-level planning when appropriate.
6. Route with the manifest-declared task, path, and explicit-module inputs. Treat INCOMPLETE, AMBIGUOUS, INVALID, or a blocked conflict status as not approved for substantial work.
7. Respect do-not-use.md and tombstones before proposing plans or implementations.
8. Never load archive/ unless the user explicitly asks or the task is archive maintenance.
9. Do not load inbox.md unless compacting, auditing unsorted memory, or asked by the user.
10. If brief.md is still a generated scaffold, curate it from authoritative project files before relying on it.
11. After meaningful decisions, repeated corrections, or rejected approaches, update the appropriate memory file or propose a concise update.