memory-continue

Memory Continue

Resume previous work by reconstructing context from the Basic Memory knowledge graph, so the assistant can pick up across sessions instead of starting cold.

When to Use

• Starting a new session and you need to pick up where you left off
• The user references earlier work: "continue with...", "back to...", "where were we on...?"
• You need context about an ongoing project or spec
• The user asks about something discussed in a previous conversation
• You're working on a task that spans multiple sessions

Building Context

1. Identify What to Continue

If it's unclear, ask:

• What topic or project should you resume?
• What since matters?
• Any specific aspect to focus on?

2. Gather Context with MCP Tools

Known topic — use bm_context. Navigate the graph from a starting point, following relations outward:

bm_context(
    identifier="memory://topic-or-note-name",
    depth=2,           # how many relation hops to follow
    since="7d",        # only include changes in this window
)

No clear starting point — use bm_project(command="recent"). See what's changed and let it surface the thread:

bm_project(command="recent", since="3d")

Looking for something specific — use bm_search. Find candidate notes by keyword:

bm_search(query="async client refactor", page_size=10)

3. Read the Key Notes

Once you've identified the relevant notes, read them in full:

bm_read(identifier="note-title-or-permalink")

For long notes, pick before you pay for bodies. compact=True drops bodies from search results (and observations from bm_context), and a line range or a section reads only the part you need:

bm_search(query="async client refactor", compact=True)
bm_read(identifier="note-title-or-permalink", start_line=120, end_line=180)
bm_read(identifier="note-title-or-permalink", section="Status")

4. Present Context to the User

Summarize what you found, incrementally:

• Current state of the work
• Recent changes or progress
• Open items and next steps
• Related context that might help

Memory URL Reference

bm_context and bm_read both accept memory:// URLs. bm_read resolves one exact note; use bm_context for wildcard patterns that gather groups of notes.

memory://note-title            # a single note by permalink
memory://folder/*              # all notes in a folder
memory://specs/SPEC-24*        # pattern / prefix match
memory://project/*/requirements # path wildcards

Use a specific note URL to anchor on one starting point; use a wildcard to pull in a whole folder or family of related notes at once.

Timeframe Reference

bm_context and bm_project(command="recent") accept natural-language timeframes:

Timeframe	Meaning
"today"	Current day
"yesterday"	Previous day
"3d" or "3 days"	Last 3 days
"1 week" or "7d"	Last week
"2 weeks"	Last 2 weeks
"1 month"	Last month

Scenario Playbooks

Resuming a Spec or Project

# 1. Read the spec / project note
bm_read(identifier="SPEC-24: Postgres Database Migration")

# 2. Pull in related context and recent changes via the graph
bm_context(identifier="memory://SPEC-24*", since="7d")

Then summarize: the goals, what's completed, what's pending, and any blockers or open decisions.

Continuing General Work

# 1. Check recent activity
bm_project(command="recent", since="3d")

# 2. Read notes from the recent sessions it surfaces
bm_read(identifier="relevant-note")

Then list the modified notes with brief descriptions and ask which thread to dive into.

Following Up on a Topic

# 1. Find the topic
bm_search(query="topic keywords")

# 2. Build context from the best match, following its relations
bm_context(identifier="memory://found-note-permalink", depth=2)

Then present the full picture — the note plus its connected context.

Project Discovery

Project names are user-specific. To discover what's available before scoping a search or memory:// URL:

bm_project(command="list")

In multi-project setups, prefix a memory:// URL with the project name (e.g. memory://research/papers/crdt) to scope it.

Guidelines

1. Start broad, then narrow. Get an overview with bm_project(command="recent") or a wildcard bm_context, then drill into specific notes.
2. Present incrementally. Share what you find as you go rather than holding everything until the end.
3. Follow relations. The graph's connections are the point — bm_context with depth surfaces context you wouldn't find by reading one note.
4. Check multiple projects. Specs may live separately from implementation notes; discover projects with bm_project(command="list").
5. Confirm understanding. Verify the reconstructed context is what the user actually needs before acting on it.
6. Capture new progress. As the resumed work advances, write it back to the graph (see the memory-notes skill) so the next session can continue too.