para-memory-files

1---2name: para-memory-files3description: >4  Use a file-based PARA memory system to store, retrieve, and organize durable5  knowledge across sessions. Trigger on saving facts, daily notes, entity6  records, weekly synthesis, recall, tacit user patterns, or plan memory.7---8 9# PARA Memory Files10 11Persistent, file-based memory organized by Tiago Forte's PARA method. Three layers: a knowledge graph, daily notes, and tacit knowledge. All paths are relative to `$AGENT_HOME`.12 13## Three Memory Layers14 15### Layer 1: Knowledge Graph (`$AGENT_HOME/life/` -- PARA)16 17Entity-based storage. Each entity gets a folder with two tiers:18 191. `summary.md` -- quick context, load first.202. `items.yaml` -- atomic facts, load on demand.21 22```text23$AGENT_HOME/life/24  projects/          # Active work with clear goals/deadlines25    <name>/26      summary.md27      items.yaml28  areas/             # Ongoing responsibilities, no end date29    people/<name>/30    companies/<name>/31  resources/         # Reference material, topics of interest32    <topic>/33  archives/          # Inactive items from the other three34  index.md35```36 37**PARA rules:**38 39- **Projects** -- active work with a goal or deadline. Move to archives when complete.40- **Areas** -- ongoing (people, companies, responsibilities). No end date.41- **Resources** -- reference material, topics of interest.42- **Archives** -- inactive items from any category.43 44**Fact rules:**45 46- Save durable facts immediately to `items.yaml`.47- Weekly: rewrite `summary.md` from active facts.48- Never delete facts. Supersede instead (`status: superseded`, add `superseded_by`).49- When an entity goes inactive, move its folder to `$AGENT_HOME/life/archives/`.50 51**When to create an entity:**52 53- Mentioned 3+ times, OR54- Direct relationship to the user (family, coworker, partner, client), OR55- Significant project or company in the user's life.56- Otherwise, note it in daily notes.57 58For the atomic fact YAML schema and memory decay rules, see [references/schemas.md](references/schemas.md).59 60### Layer 2: Daily Notes (`$AGENT_HOME/memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md`)61 62Raw timeline of events -- the "when" layer.63 64- Write continuously during conversations.65- Extract durable facts to Layer 1 during heartbeats.66 67### Layer 3: Tacit Knowledge (`$AGENT_HOME/MEMORY.md`)68 69How the user operates -- patterns, preferences, lessons learned.70 71- Not facts about the world; facts about the user.72- Update whenever you learn new operating patterns.73 74## Write It Down -- No Mental Notes75 76Memory does not survive session restarts. Files do.77 78- Want to remember something -> WRITE IT TO A FILE.79- "Remember this" -> update `$AGENT_HOME/memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md` or the relevant entity file.80- Learn a lesson -> update AGENTS.md, TOOLS.md, or the relevant skill file.81- Make a mistake -> document it so future-you does not repeat it.82- On-disk text files are always better than holding it in temporary context.83 84## Memory Recall -- Use qmd85 86Use `qmd` rather than grepping files:87 88```bash89qmd query "what happened at Christmas"   # Semantic search with reranking90qmd search "specific phrase"              # BM25 keyword search91qmd vsearch "conceptual question"         # Pure vector similarity92```93 94Index your personal folder: `qmd index $AGENT_HOME`95 96Vectors + BM25 + reranking finds things even when the wording differs.97 98## Planning99 100Keep plans in timestamped files in `plans/` at the project root (outside personal memory so other agents can access them). Use `qmd` to search plans. Plans go stale -- if a newer plan exists, do not confuse yourself with an older version. If you notice staleness, update the file to note what it is supersededBy.101