Basic Memory

Purpose

OpenClaw already stores memory in ~/.openclaw/workspace/MEMORY.md and loads it automatically at session start. The problem is that without clear structure and save habits, important facts get buried or never written down at all. This skill teaches the agent exactly what to save, where to put it, and how to retrieve it — so memory actually works in practice.

Storage Layout

All readable memory lives under the workspace:

~/.openclaw/workspace/
├── MEMORY.md                  ← long-term facts, loaded every session
└── memory/
    └── YYYY-MM-DD.md          ← daily log, today + yesterday auto-loaded

Do not write to ~/.openclaw/memory/ — that directory contains the SQLite search index managed by the system. Only the workspace files are yours to read and write.

MEMORY.md Structure

Organize MEMORY.md into four sections. Create any missing section on first write.

## Facts
- [2026-04-09] User's name is Billy. Works as an AI engineer at a startup.

## Preferences
- [2026-04-09] Prefers concise replies. Dislikes unnecessary preamble.

## Action Items
- [ ] [2026-04-09] Follow up on API integration by Friday.
- [x] [2026-04-08] Send draft proposal to team. (done)

## Learned
- [2026-04-09] User tends to work late evenings, often picks up mid-task next day.

Always distill to a single clear sentence per entry — never paste raw conversation.

On Session Start

OpenClaw auto-loads MEMORY.md plus today's and yesterday's daily files. Use this loaded context immediately — no tool call needed. Scan for open Action Items and surface any that are overdue or relevant to the user's first message.

Auto-Save During Conversation

Detect and save without being asked when the user shares:

After auto-saving, confirm briefly in one line: "Noted: [distilled fact]."

Retrieving Memory

Use the built-in tools when searching:

• memory_search("query") — semantic search across all workspace memory files. Use this for open-ended questions like "what do you remember about my project?"
• memory_get("MEMORY.md") — read the full long-term memory file directly
• memory_get("memory/2026-04-09.md") — read a specific daily log

Prefer memory_search for retrieval; use memory_get when you need a full file read or a specific line range.

Explicit Commands

"Remember this" / "Save this"

1. Confirm: "Got it, I'll remember: [one-line summary]"
2. Write to the appropriate section