Layered Memory

The Alius Agent persists knowledge across Sessions through a layered memory system. Memory is divided into project memory and global memory scopes, each containing multiple storage layers.

Project Memory vs Global Memory

Storage Layers

Alius’s memory system includes the following storage layers:

Context Memory (Working Memory)

Short-term memory during an active Session. Stores the current conversation context, recent tool outputs, and active plan state.

• Scoped to the current Session
• Cleared when the Session ends
• Provides immediate context for each Turn
• Managed through ConversationStore and SessionStore

Episodic Memory

Records of past experiences — what worked, what didn’t, and what was learned in previous Runs.

• Persists across Sessions
• Captures lessons learned from development rounds
• Helps avoid repeating mistakes
• Managed through EpisodicStore

Semantic Memory

Extracted facts and knowledge about the project — architectural decisions, API contracts, naming conventions, and domain knowledge.

• Persists across Sessions
• Builds a knowledge base about the project
• Enables the Agent to understand project context without re-reading code
• Managed through SemanticStore

Procedural Memory

Records of operational processes and steps — standard procedures for how to accomplish certain types of tasks.

• Persists across Sessions
• Records successful operational patterns
• Foundation for workflow automation
• Managed through ProceduralStore

Retrieval Engine

The RetrievalEngine is responsible for retrieving relevant information from memory layers to support the Agent’s current context.

Managing Memory

/memory save <text>     # Save a fact or lesson
/memory list            # View saved memories
/memory clear           # Clear global memory (requires confirmation)

How Memory Helps You

1. Faster resumption — Context is preserved, no need to repeat explanations
2. Learning from experience — Past Runs guide future decisions
3. Building project knowledge — Facts accumulate into a project-specific knowledge base
4. Self-evolution — Each iteration makes the Agent more effective for your project

Runtime Memory vs Workspace Documents

Alius distinguishes between two different data stores:

They are stored in different directories and serve different purposes. Memory is runtime-managed data, while workspace documents are project design and planning materials.

Memory and Privacy

All memory is stored locally in the .alius/memory/ directory. No data is sent to external services unless you explicitly configure remote storage.