docs: Prune redundant JSON schemas from instructions in favor of strong static typing

instructions.md

@@ -1,36 +1,7 @@
-# MCP Memory Server Guidelines
+# Memory MCP Strategic Guidelines
 
-This server provides an OS-agnostic, persistent Knowledge Graph and working memory. The following guidelines dictate **when** and **how** to best utilize these tools.
+This document outlines the STRATEGY and SEMANTICS for using the MCP Memory Server. 
-
+You do not need to memorize JSON schemas for these tools; they are strictly defined and typed in the 	ools/list endpoint. Focus purely on WHEN and WHY to use them.
-## 1. Ephemeral Working Memory (Sticky Notes)
-- **Tools:** add_sticky_note, ␍ead_sticky_notes
-- **When to use:** 
-  - When you need to remember a specific context, broken build state, or pending task across conversation boundaries (e.g., "We are in the middle of refactoring main.rs, next step is testing").
-  - When saving short-term scratchpad thoughts that don't belong in the permanent knowledge graph.
-- **Behavior:** Notes have a 24-hour TTL and are pruned automatically. Always consider reading sticky notes at the start of a session if picking up an ongoing task.
-
-## 2. The Knowledge Graph (Entities & Relations)
-- **Tools:** search_nodes, open_nodes, ␍ead_graph
-- **When to use search_nodes:** Use this for **fuzzy searching** when you aren't 100% sure of the exact entity name, or you want to find everything related to a topic (e.g., "Docker", "Jenkins"). It uses Jaro-Winkler distance and token matching.
-- **When to use open_nodes:** Use this for **1-hop traversal**. If you know a specific entity name (e.g., "auth-service") and want to see how it connects to other services, open_nodes will pull the entity AND all directly connected neighbors.
-
-## 3. Graph Maintenance & Condensation
-- **Tool:** condense_entity
-- **When to use:** Proactively use this tool if you notice an entity's observations array is getting excessively long (e.g., >10 items) or repetitive. Condense the list into a shorter, more concise summary of the core facts to preserve token limits.
-
-## 4. The Audit Ledger (Code Changes)
-- **Tools:** log_code_change, query_recent_changes
-- **When to use log_code_change:** *MANDATORY.* Immediately after successfully making significant file modifications (e.g., refactoring a script, fixing a bug). Log the file path and a short description.
-- **When to use query_recent_changes:** When the user asks "What did we do yesterday?", "What changed recently?", or when trying to debug a newly introduced issue. (The ledger retains 7 days of history, max 1000 items).
-
-## 5. Architectural Visualization
-- **Tool:** isualize_graph
-- **When to use:** When you need to explain complex system relationships, dependencies, or architectures to the user. This tool outputs a raw Mermaid.js string. Put the output inside a ``mermaid` markdown block in an Artifact so the user can see a visual diagram.
-
-## 6. Structured Task Queue (Agentic Kanban)
-- **Tools:** `add_task`, `update_task_status`, `list_active_tasks`
-- **When to use:** Use this for structured checklist tracking of complex, multi-day features or goals (e.g., when the user initiates a `/goal`).
-- **Behavior:** Log tasks with a title and description. When resuming sessions, always run `list_active_tasks` to see what is still `pending`, `in_progress`, or `blocked`, and pick up where you left off. Use `update_task_status` to transition tasks to `done`.
 
 ## 7. Snippet & Command Vault
 - **Tools:** `store_snippet`, `search_snippets`, `delete_snippet`
@@ -40,7 +11,7 @@ This server provides an OS-agnostic, persistent Knowledge Graph and working memo
 ## 8. Context Namespaces (Project Scopes)
 - **Feature:** `namespace` optional parameter
 - **When to use:** When using `read_graph`, `search_nodes`, or `visualize_graph`, you can now pass `namespace` to isolate graph queries to a specific project scope (e.g. "scascanner").
-- **Behavior:** When calling `create_entities` or `create_relations`, you can inject `namespace: "your_project"` into the entity schema to isolate it from the global scope.
+- **Behavior:** When calling `create_entities` or `create_relations`, you can inject `namespace: "your_project"` into the entity schema to isolate it from the global scope.
 
 ## 9. Architectural Decision Records (ADRs)
 - **Tools:** log_decision, query_decisions
@@ -53,9 +24,10 @@ This server provides an OS-agnostic, persistent Knowledge Graph and working memo
 - **Behavior:** merge_entities will safely combine their observations and automatically remap all relations pointing to or from the deleted duplicate.
 
 ## 11. Dynamic Learned Preferences
-- **Tools:** learn_preference, ␍ead_preferences
+- **Tools:** learn_preference, 
+ead_preferences
 - **When to use:** When the user corrects you on a specific local nuance (e.g. "Actually, use Python 3.10 instead of 3.12 for this repo").
-- **Behavior:** Use this Key-Value store to record dynamic behavioral preferences to ensure you adapt instantly without modifying global Markdown files.
+- **Behavior:** Use this Key-Value store to record dynamic behavioral preferences to ensure you adapt instantly without modifying global Markdown files.
 
 ## Error Vault / Troubleshooting
 When you spend time resolving a tricky environment issue, build error, or logic bug, immediately record the fix to save future time.
@@ -72,7 +44,7 @@ amespace (project).
 To maintain a chronological narrative of the project's evolution beyond just code diffs.
 - **add_session_summary:** At the end of every major coding session, write a 2-sentence summary of what was accomplished and add it to the 
 amespace.
-- **get_project_timeline:** When rejoining a project after a long time, read the timeline to instantly understand the recent architectural history.
+- **get_project_timeline:** When rejoining a project after a long time, read the timeline to instantly understand the recent architectural history.
 
 ## Agent Handoffs (The Inbox)
 When working in a multi-session or multi-agent environment, agents need to communicate context across time.
@@ -82,7 +54,8 @@ When working in a multi-session or multi-agent environment, agents need to commu
 
 ## Environment & Blueprint Tracker
 Stop wasting tokens rediscovering how to run or configure the project.
-- **update_env_fingerprint:** Run this when you set up a new project to snapshot the OS, shell, and key language versions (e.g. python, ␍ustc).
+- **update_env_fingerprint:** Run this when you set up a new project to snapshot the OS, shell, and key language versions (e.g. python, 
+ustc).
 - **read_env_fingerprint:** Query this to instantly know how the project is run.
 - **log_env_requirement:** Log required .env variables (e.g. DATABASE_URL) without logging the secret itself.
 
@@ -90,7 +63,7 @@ Stop wasting tokens rediscovering how to run or configure the project.
 Organize granular tasks into high-level phases.
 - **add_milestone:** Group a large subset of work into a cohesive phase (e.g., "V1 MVP", "CI/CD Setup").
 - **update_milestone:** Mark a milestone as active, blocked, or completed.
-- **list_milestones:** Use this to ensure task priorities align with the current active milestone.
+- **list_milestones:** Use this to ensure task priorities align with the current active milestone.
 
 ## Standup Reports
 When asked for a progress update or standup report, do not guess or read raw git logs.
@@ -105,7 +78,7 @@ Avoid asking the user for URLs or connection details repeatedly.
 Ensure high code quality and prevent incomplete pull requests.
 - **add_pr_checklist_item:** Add recurring repository chores (e.g., "Run cargo fmt", "Update CHANGELOG").
 - **get_pr_checklist:** Query and explicitly verify EVERY item on this list before triggering git push or merging PRs.
-- **clear_pr_checklist:** Clear if the project lifecycle changes dramatically.
+- **clear_pr_checklist:** Clear if the project lifecycle changes dramatically.
 
 ## Tech Debt & Refactor Backlog
 Keep the main task board clean by isolating "hacky" workarounds.
@@ -117,7 +90,7 @@ Keep the main task board clean by isolating "hacky" workarounds.
 When shifting context rapidly (e.g. from building a feature to fixing a prod bug), save your state.
 - **save_context_workspace:** Save your active pinned files and task IDs under a named workspace (e.g., "Feature X").
 - **load_context_workspace:** Retrieve a saved workspace to instantly restore your context when returning to that task.
-- **list_context_workspaces:** List all saved workspaces in a project.
+- **list_context_workspaces:** List all saved workspaces in a project.
 
 ## Omni-Search (Global Vault Search)
 When you remember a vague keyword but don't know which specific vault it's stored in.
@@ -125,16 +98,16 @@ When you remember a vague keyword but don't know which specific vault it's store
 
 ## Project Health Dashboard
 When starting a new session, get a numerical aggregate of the project's current state.
-- **get_project_health:** Returns a quick digest of active tasks, unread memos, unresolved tech debt, and pending PR checklist items.
+- **get_project_health:** Returns a quick digest of active tasks, unread memos, unresolved tech debt, and pending PR checklist items.
 
 ## Git Context Binding (VCS Sync)
 To maintain absolute traceability, we link memory items directly to the exact git commits they occurred on.
 - When calling **log_code_change**, **log_error_fix**, or **log_tech_debt**, you should execute git rev-parse HEAD and git branch --show-current in the project directory first (if it's a git repo).
-- Pass the resulting hash and branch name into the git_commit and git_branch arguments of those tools to permanently link the memory item to the VCS state.
+- Pass the resulting hash and branch name into the git_commit and git_branch arguments of those tools to permanently link the memory item to the VCS state.
 
 ## 13. Server Lifecycle & Updates (Graceful Shutdown)
 When instructed to restart, update, or stop the mcp-memory-server binary, never use brute-force OS kill commands (e.g. Stop-Process, pkill, kill).
 - Why: The server uses asynchronous checkpointing. Force-killing it bypasses the shutdown flush, risking data loss in the master JSON graph, and can lead to lingering file locks.
 - How: Always use the built-in graceful shutdown mechanisms:
   1. CLI Flag: mcp-memory-server --exit (or --restart)
-  2. HTTP Endpoint: POST http://127.0.0.1:3000/shutdown
+  2. HTTP Endpoint: POST http://127.0.0.1:3000/shutdown