# claude_memory/

Session notes and scratch knowledge that hasn't (yet) earned a place in a
`CLAUDE.md`. **Anything that leaves a context window uncaptured is lost
forever** — this folder exists so session-level insight doesn't evaporate.

## Purpose

A Claude context window is finite. Anything an agent figures out in a session
that isn't written down is gone when the session ends. The curated
`CLAUDE.md` files hold stable, authoritative knowledge; this folder holds
everything else that's still worth remembering.

## Pattern

- One file per session with non-trivial insight.
- Filename: `YYYY-MM-DD-short-topic.md`. Date first so `ls` is chronological.
- Freeform. Rough edges encouraged. Don't polish — capture.
- At minimum, answer: *what did we do, what did we decide, what surprised
  us, what's still open.*
- Cross-reference files you edited, alternatives you considered, dead-ends
  you hit.

## What graduates vs. what stays

Three futures for a note in here:

1. **Graduates up** into a `CLAUDE.md` (or `docs/architecture.md`, or a
   code comment) when the knowledge stabilizes and becomes authoritative.
   After graduating, consider deleting the note or leaving it as historical
   context.
2. **Stays here** as historical context — useful for "why did we do X last
   month?" or "what have we already tried?"
3. **Gets deleted** when it's no longer relevant (a fixed bug, an abandoned
   approach, a stale investigation).

The graduation step is a discipline, not automation. When you're finishing a
session and think "a future agent needs this to avoid re-discovering it,"
ask: is this stable enough for a `CLAUDE.md`, or is it still forming?