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

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# 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.
## 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`.
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.
## 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