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Memories

Goal

Create a repository-scoped constraint, retrieve it by meaning, and retire it without deleting audit history.

Prerequisites

  • An initialized configuration and canonical state.
  • The repository or session identifier for a scoped memory.
  • Text that contains no credential, token, private key, or other secret value.

Steps

1. Create a scoped memory

colossus --config .colossus/config.yaml memories create \
  "This repository requires warnings-as-errors linting" \
  --scope repository --scope-id REPOSITORY_ID --kind constraint \
  --rationale "Recorded project convention"

Use global only for broadly applicable preferences. Session and repository scopes require --scope-id.

2. Retrieve canonical candidates

colossus --config .colossus/config.yaml memories search "linting" \
  --repository REPOSITORY_ID
colossus --config .colossus/config.yaml memories show MEMORY_ID

The journal owns status, scope, expiry, and content. Search indexes return candidates; Colossus reloads and re-filters canonical records before release.

3. Replace or retire stale guidance

colossus --config .colossus/config.yaml memories supersede MEMORY_ID \
  "This repository runs warnings-as-errors linting in CI" \
  --rationale "Clarified when the rule applies"

Or archive it:

colossus --config .colossus/config.yaml memories archive MEMORY_ID

4. Check index health

colossus --config .colossus/config.yaml memories index status

sync retries queued index work. rebuild recreates disposable search state from the canonical journal.

Expected result

Active, in-scope memory is available as non-instructional background for later turns. Superseded and archived records remain auditable but no longer steer new work.

Verification

Run the same scoped search after superseding or archiving. Confirm that only the current active record is released and that memories show preserves lineage.

Failure path

  • No result appears: verify scope, status, expiry, and repository identity.
  • Index is unavailable: canonical records remain intact; sync or rebuild the disposable index.
  • A memory contains a secret: rotate the credential, archive the memory, and follow your incident process. Memory text is not a secret store.
  • Two memories conflict: supersede the outdated record so active context has one owner.

Next step

Use Deep research for source-backed evidence that should remain attached to a research run instead of general memory.