memory

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# Memory

**Core principle:** Search before reinventing. Searching costs nothing; reinventing or repeating mistakes costs everything.

## Mandatory: Use the Search Agent

**YOU MUST dispatch the search-memory agent for any historical search.**

Announce: "Dispatching search agent to find [topic]."

Then use the Task tool with `subagent_type: "search-memory"`:

```
Task tool:
  description: "Search past conversations for [topic]"
  prompt: "Search for [specific query]. Focus on [decisions, patterns, gotchas, code examples]."
  subagent_type: "search-memory"
```

The agent will:
1. Search with the `memory_search` MCP tool
2. Synthesize findings (200-1000 words)
3. Return actionable insights + sources

**Saves 50-100x context vs. loading raw exchanges.**

## When to Use

You often get value from consulting memory once you understand what you're being asked. Search in these situations:

**After understanding the task:**
- User asks "how should I..." or "what's the best approach..."
- You've explored current codebase and need to make architectural decisions
- User asks for implementation approach after describing what they want

**When you're stuck:**
- You've investigated a problem and can't find the solution
- Facing a complex problem without obvious solution in current code
- Need to follow an unfamiliar workflow or process

**When historical signals are present:**
- User says "last time", "before", "we discussed", "you implemented"
- User asks "why did we...", "what was the reason..."
- User says "do you remember...", "what do we know about..."

**During lessons-learned:**
- Proposing lessons during `/shipyard:ship`

**Don't search first:**
- For current codebase structure (use Grep/Read to explore first)
- For info in current conversation
- Before understanding what you're being asked to do
- When the problem is clearly novel
- When the user explicitly wants a fresh approach

## Direct Tool Access (Discouraged)

You CA