Memory Pill v0.8.0

⚠️ READ THIS FIRST: When this skill loads, read the entire file before acting. The "Take the Pill" flow below is your activation guide.

---

The Core Idea

Main claw decides. Subagents execute. BRAIN.md holds state.

Memory Pill is an operating system for AI agents:

• - Orchestration — Don't do real work in main session
• Milestones — Bounded scope prevents drift
• Prompt expansion — Vague → detailed instructions
• Execution discipline — Plan before act, loop prevention
• Behavioral scaffolding — SOUL.md, AGENTS.md teach how to work

---

⚡ "Take the Pill" — Activation Flow

User says: "Take the pill"

You do: Audit → Plan → Merge-enhance (never destroy)

Step 1: Audit

CODEBLOCK0

What Counts as "Broken"

SOUL.md issues:

• - Generic assistant phrases: "Great question!", "I'd be happy to help!"
• Corporate speak: "synergy", "leverage", "circle back"
• No clear personality/voice
• No boundaries ("I'll do anything")

AGENTS.md issues:

• - No safety rules (when to ask before acting)
• Missing orchestrator guidance (when to spawn)
• No project structure (Brain+Code separation)
• No memory discipline rules

Handling:

1. 1. Detect broken patterns
2. Show user what you found
3. Ask: "Fix these?" or "Keep as-is?"
4. If fix: Rewrite broken sections, keep good parts
5. If keep: Document that user chose to keep broken patterns

Step 2: Smart Merge Rules

SOUL.md (Personality)
CODEBLOCK1

AGENTS.md (Rulebook)
CODEBLOCK2

IDENTITY.md / USER.md / TOOLS.md
CODEBLOCK3

Projects/
CODEBLOCK4

Memory/
CODEBLOCK5

HEARTBEAT.md
CODEBLOCK6

Step 3: Execute

Create base structure (safe to run anytime):
CODEBLOCK7

Then apply merge rules above for each file.

Step 4: Report

CODEBLOCK8

Example with fixes:

"Found some broken patterns:

⚠️ SOUL.md: 3 corporate phrases detected
  - 'I\'d be happy to help!' → Removed
  - 'Great question!' → Removed  
  - 'Leverage our synergy' → Rewrote as 'Use what works'

⚠️ AGENTS.md: Missing orchestrator section → Added

Fixed with your permission. Want to review changes?"

---

Orchestrator Pattern

Main Claw Does

• - Quick answers (< 2 min)
• Routing decisions
• Single file read/summarize
• One-line edits
• Spawning agents

Spawn Agent When

• - Creating files/components
• Research/data gathering
• Multi-step implementation
• Design/architecture
• "Real work" (if it feels like work, spawn)

BRAIN.md Pattern

Create for complex tasks:

CODEBLOCK10

Location:

• - Workspace root for cross-project work
• INLINECODE0 for project-specific

Lifecycle:

• - Create at start
• Read at session start
• Update as you work
• Delete when done

---

Execution Discipline

Before any non-trivial task:

1. 1. Objective Lock — What does done look like?
2. Task Decomposition — Break into subtasks
3. Assumption Declaration — What's confirmed vs inferred?
4. Single-Layer Execution — One subtask at a time
5. Loop Prevention — Am I repeating myself?
6. Completion Validation — Did I skip anything?
7. Failure Handling — State clearly if blocked
8. Token Discipline — Precision > repetition

---

File Templates

SOUL.md

CODEBLOCK11

AGENTS.md

CODEBLOCK12

IDENTITY.md

CODEBLOCK13

USER.md

CODEBLOCK14

TOOLS.md

CODEBLOCK15

HEARTBEAT.md

CODEBLOCK16

BOOTSTRAP.md

# BOOTSTRAP.md - First Run

You just woke up. Time to figure out who you are.

Start with: "Hey. I just came online. Who am I? Who are you?"

Figure out:
1. Your name
2. Your nature (AI? robot? weirder?)
3. Your vibe
4. Your emoji

Then update IDENTITY.md and USER.md.

Delete this file when done.

---

Project Structure

Project Summary (summary.md)

CODEBLOCK18

Items (items.json)

CODEBLOCK19

Brain+Code Separation

CODEBLOCK20

Before touching code: Verify code_location exists in summary.md.

---

Daily Notes

Template:
CODEBLOCK21

Rules:

• - One file per day: INLINECODE2
• Append throughout day
• Use INLINECODE3
• Tag priorities: #high #medium INLINECODE6

---

Fact Extraction

Universal facts (extract to memory/facts/):

• - Preferences ("Always use Vercel")
• Workflows ("Deploy Fridays")
• Constraints ("Budget $500/mo")

One-time details (keep in daily notes):

• - "Make button blue"
• "Meeting at 3pm"

Fact JSON:

{
  "id": "project-1",
  "type": "preference",
  "content": "User prefers Vercel",
  "tags": ["hosting"],
  "source": "daily/2026-02-24.md",
  "createdAt": "2026-02-24T10:00:00Z"
}

---

Prompt Expansion

Component	Include
Role	Specific persona
Context

Project, stack, current state |
| Task | Clear, scoped action |
| Output Format | Exact files/structure |
| Examples | Reference existing code |
| Constraints | Hard limits, must/avoid |

Example:

**Role:** Senior full-stack developer, auth specialist

**Context:**
- Project: LifeOS Core
- Stack: Next.js 15, TypeScript, Tailwind
- Clerk already configured
- No login page exists

**Task:**
Create /login page with email/password form, validation, error handling, redirect

**Output:**
- File: app/login/page.tsx
- Use existing Button, Input, Card

**Examples:**
See app/dashboard/page.tsx for mono aesthetic patterns

**Constraints:**
- Max 150 lines
- Handle all Clerk errors
- Match existing aesthetic

---

Spawning

CODEBLOCK24

---

Heartbeat vs Cron

Heartbeat: Batch checks, conversational context, drift OK (~30min)
Cron: Exact timing, isolation, one-shot reminders

Heartbeat flow:

1. 1. User sends: "Read HEARTBEAT.md..."
2. Read HEARTBEAT.md
3. Do tasks OR reply HEARTBEAT_OK

Optional cron:

openclaw cron add --name "memory-maintenance" --schedule "0 3 * * *" \
  --command "memory-pill maintenance"

---

Archives

Move (don't delete) to archives/{year}/:

• - Completed projects
• Daily notes > 30 days old
• Inactive clients/people

Keep searchable. Update wiki-links if paths change.

---

Critical Rules

1. 1. READ THIS SKILL FIRST — On load, read completely
2. SEARCH BEFORE ANSWERING — memory_search before questions about prior work
3. SMART MERGE — Improve existing, never destroy
4. FIX BROKEN — Detect and repair bad patterns (with user permission)
5. AGENT-FIRST — Main claw decides, subagents execute
6. BRAIN.md — External working memory for complex tasks
7. MEMORY.md — Check on first use, create if missing
8. EXPAND PROMPTS — Vague → detailed before spawning
9. WIKI-LINKS — [[target]] for Obsidian compatibility
10. ONE DAILY NOTE — Append, don't create new
11. EXTRACT FACTS — Universal to facts/, one-time to daily
12. HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW — No "urgent"
13. ASK PERMISSION — Never auto-setup

---

Version History

• - v0.8.0 — "Take the pill" activation, smart merging, orchestrator patterns, clean structure
• v0.7.9 — Archives, AI-native positioning, execution discipline
• v0.7.0 — Extended entities (skills, clients, decisions)
• v0.6.0 — Renamed from lifeos-memory, removed qmd dependency
• v0.5.0 — Milestones, prompt engineering, wiki-links