Agent memory

Wardian agents can save durable preferences, decisions, corrections, lessons, and current project state. Memory is available when the agent starts a new provider process, even when the provider changes.

Direct memory is enabled by default. It does not consume a second model call. The optional Memory Consolidation automation is disabled until you configure and run it or bind it to a session-close invoker.

You do not need to say "remember this." At the end of an ordinary task, an agent checks for clear preferences, project conventions, decisions, corrections, lessons, and ongoing state that will matter in a future session. It saves a small number of useful records when the evidence is clear. Brief or explicitly one-response-only instructions are not saved merely because they appeared in a conversation. The check happens before the agent's final answer; it does not require loading an optional consolidation automation or making another model call.

Save and inspect memory

wardian memory save "Prefer concise technical handoffs" \
  --evidence "The user explicitly requested concise handoffs." \
  --scope agent

wardian memory save "Release validation is awaiting a real-macOS run" \
  --evidence "The latest review left native macOS acceptance pending." \
  --kind current

wardian memory list
wardian memory recall

PowerShell:

wardian memory save "Prefer concise technical handoffs" `
  --evidence "The user explicitly requested concise handoffs." `
  --scope agent

Workspace scope is the default. Use agent scope only for a preference or working convention that should follow the agent between projects. Every save requires an evidence excerpt. Optional --source values preserve a link for deeper inspection without coupling retention.

Use show, history, update, and remove with the returned memory ID. The full ID and any unique prefix are accepted, including the eight-character IDs shown in startup-injected memory instructions. If a prefix matches more than one memory, use a longer prefix. Update and remove preserve audit history.

Inside a Wardian-managed terminal, memory commands are restricted to that agent's own records and authenticated with a launch-scoped capability. Run them only from that managed context. Cross-agent administration is available through Wardian's desktop memory surface; an uncredentialed operator shell fails closed.

The capability expires when Wardian terminates, replaces, or reclaims that provider runtime. A PTY reader or broker error alone does not revoke a still-live runtime's capability. Concurrent interactive and automation processes receive independent capabilities.

What appears in chat

Successful actions appear as Memory saved · This agent, Memory updated · This agent, or Memory removed · This agent. A provider process that receives memory shows a collapsed Memory loaded row. Expand it to inspect the exact context. No row appears when there was nothing to load.

Optional consolidation

The Library includes the editable Memory Consolidation automation sample. Assign its curator role to a provider or agent. A temporary-provider assignment may include model and effort; Wardian uses that exact selection and the user's provider quota without a hidden fallback.

Create a session-close invoker disabled, inspect it, then enable it:

wardian automation session-close add \
  --blueprint memory-consolidation \
  --name "Consolidate this agent" \
  --agent <agent-name-or-id> \
  --boundary clear \
  --require-archive \
  --assignments '{"curator":{"target_type":"temporary_provider","provider":"codex","model":"<model-id>","effort":"low"}}'

wardian automation session-close list
wardian automation session-close enable <invoker-id>

Use model IDs and effort levels returned by wardian agent models --provider <provider> --refresh. Conversation logging must be enabled for automatic archive consolidation. Direct saving and startup recall remain available when logging or consolidation is disabled.