Pattern 5

Memory points, it doesn't mirror

Problem. Agent memory that copies your source documents goes stale the moment a source changes, then quietly contradicts it.

Pattern. Memory holds an index plus typed notes (user / feedback / project / reference) that point at the source of truth instead of duplicating it. Every write is one of four operations (add, update, delete, no-op), never a blind append. Check a memory claim against current state before asserting it as fact.

Why this beats the obvious. Dumping everything into memory feels safe and rots fast. A pointer cannot contradict its source; a copy eventually always does.

Cost. Discipline at write time, plus a periodic consolidation pass to merge duplicates and prune the index.

Where it lives: samples/.claude/scheduled-tasks/consolidate-memory/SKILL.md and samples/scripts/memory_lint.py.

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