PARA Memory Files

---
name: para-memory-files
description: >
  File-based memory system using Tiago Forte's PARA method. Use this skill whenever
  you need to store, retrieve, update, or organize knowledge across sessions. Covers
  three memory layers: (1) Knowledge graph in PARA folders with atomic YAML facts,
  (2) Daily notes as raw timeline, (3) Tacit knowledge about user patterns. Also
  handles planning files, memory decay, weekly synthesis, and recall via qmd.
  Trigger on any memory operation: saving facts, writing daily notes, creating
  entities, running weekly synthesis, recalling past context, or managing plans.
activationHints:
  - "remember this"
  - "save fact"
  - "PARA method"
  - "daily notes"
  - "tacit knowledge"
  - "knowledge graph"
  - "weekly synthesis"
  - "recall past context"
  - "qmd query"
  - "memory decay"
  - "entity file"
  - "items.yaml"
  - "summary.md"
overlapDomains:
  - skill: context-save
    disambiguationHint: "para-memory-files manages persistent cross-session PARA-structured memory; context-save captures a one-time snapshot of current working state for later restore"
  - skill: context-restore
    disambiguationHint: "para-memory-files provides ongoing structured memory management; context-restore retrieves a previously saved working context snapshot"
  - skill: learn
    disambiguationHint: "para-memory-files manages personal PARA-structured memory across all topics; learn manages searchable project-specific learnings and knowledge entries"
verification:
  smokeChecklist:
    - "User asks to remember a fact, person, or event across sessions"
    - "User references PARA folders, daily notes, tacit knowledge, or knowledge graph"
    - "User asks to run weekly synthesis or recall past context via qmd"
    - "User mentions entity files, items.yaml, or memory decay"
---

# PARA Memory Files

Persistent, 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`.

## Three Memory Layers

### Layer 1: Knowledge Graph (`$AGENT_HOME/life/` -- PARA)

Entity-based storage. Each entity gets a folder with two tiers:

1. `summary.md` -- quick context, load first.
2. `items.yaml` -- atomic facts, load on demand.

```text
$AGENT_HOME/life/
  projects/          # Active work with clear goals/deadlines
    <name>/
      summary.md
      items.yaml
  areas/             # Ongoing responsibilities, no end date
    people/<name>/
    companies/<name>/
  resources/         # Reference material, topics of interest
    <topic>/
  archives/          # Inactive items from the other three
  index.md
```

**PARA rules:**

- **Projects** -- active work with a goal or deadline. Move to archives when complete.
- **Areas** -- ongoing (people, companies, responsibilities). No end date.
- **Resources** -- reference material, topics of interest.
- **Archives** -- inactive items from any category.

**Fact rules:**

- Save durable facts immediately to `items.yaml`.
- Weekly: rewrite `summary.md` from active facts.
- Never delete facts. Supersede instead (`status: superseded`, add `superseded_by`).
- When an entity goes inactive, move its folder to `$AGENT_HOME/life/archives/`.

**When to create an entity:**

- Mentioned 3+ times, OR
- Direct relationship to the user (family, coworker, partner, client), OR
- Significant project or company in the user's life.
- Otherwise, note it in daily notes.

For the atomic fact YAML schema and memory decay rules, see [references/schemas.md](references/schemas.md).

### Layer 2: Daily Notes (`$AGENT_HOME/memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md`)

Raw timeline of events -- the "when" layer.

- Write continuously during conversations.
- Extract durable facts to Layer 1 during heartbeats.

### Layer 3: Tacit Knowledge (`$AGENT_HOME/MEMORY.md`)

How the user operates -- patterns, preferences, lessons learned.

- Not facts about the world; facts about the user.
- Update whenever you learn new operating patterns.

## Write It Down -- No Mental Notes

Memory does not survive session restarts. Files do.

- Want to remember something -> WRITE IT TO A FILE.
- "Remember this" -> update `$AGENT_HOME/memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md` or the relevant entity file.
- Learn a lesson -> update AGENTS.md, TOOLS.md, or the relevant skill file.
- Make a mistake -> document it so future-you does not repeat it.
- On-disk text files are always better than holding it in temporary context.

## Memory Recall -- Use qmd

Use `qmd` rather than grepping files:

```bash
qmd query "what happened at Christmas"   # Semantic search with reranking
qmd search "specific phrase"              # BM25 keyword search
qmd vsearch "conceptual question"         # Pure vector similarity
```

Index your personal folder: `qmd index $AGENT_HOME`

Vectors + BM25 + reranking finds things even when the wording differs.

## Planning

Keep 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.