recall

Recall

Search and retrieve knowledge from past sessions across all collections.

Procedure

1. Formulate query -- extract 2-4 keywords from the current task or user message. Build a specific search query using domain terms, error messages, API names, or tool names. If context is unclear, use keywords from the first user message.

   • Good: "SPV bloom filter identity addresses", "LanceDB compaction write lock", "axum middleware auth bearer"
   • Bad: "project context", "recent decisions", "help", single words

2. Task-specific search -- run search(query=..., project=<repo-name>) with the query from step 1. Set project to git remote origin repo name (e.g., memcan not memcan-2). Use collections param to narrow scope when needed (e.g., collections=["standards"]).

3. Broaden if needed -- only if step 2 returned fewer than 3 results, run a second search with a broader architectural query (e.g., "error handling conventions", "module structure patterns"). Skip this step if step 2 already returned useful results.

4. List all (optional) -- if both searches returned few results and broader context is needed, use get_memories(project=...) and/or get_memories() for full listings.

5. Opportunistic cleanup -- if any returned memories are vague, ephemeral, obsolete, or near-duplicates of better memories, fix them on the spot: update_memory to improve, or delete_memory to remove. Do NOT search deliberately for bad memories -- only act on what surfaces during normal recall.

6. Report -- present relevant results to the conversation. Include memory IDs for reference.

When to Invoke

• Session start -- load project context and recent decisions
• Before architecture decisions -- check for prior art or known pitfalls
• On errors -- search for similar past issues and fixes
• During reviews -- recall coding conventions and preferences
• Before planning -- check for relevant past experience

MCP Tools

Tool	Params	Use
search	query: str, project?: str, collections?: [str], limit?: int	Search all collections in one query.
search_memories	query: str, project?: str, limit?: int	Memories-only search.
search_standards	query: str, standard_id?: str, standard_type?: str, limit?: int	Search indexed standards.
search_code	query: str, file_path?: str, tech_stack?: str, limit?: int	Search indexed code.
get_memories	project?: str, limit?: int	List memories by scope.
count_memories	project?: str	Count memories.
update_memory	memory_id: str, memory: str	Fix a memory encountered during recall.
delete_memory	memory_id: str	Remove obsolete memory.