triggers: ["user", "model"] description: Search episodic memory for relevant past experiences subagent: true

Memory Query Skill

Purpose

Search the episodic memory at .devin/memory/episodes.json for information relevant to the current task.

When to Use

• Before starting a complex task to check for similar past experiences
• When encountering errors to find known solutions
• When making architectural decisions to reference past patterns
• When you're stuck and need to learn from previous sessions

Procedure

1. Extract Key Terms: Identify 3-5 key terms from the current task

   • Focus on the core problem, technology, or domain
   • Include error messages if applicable
   • Consider both technical and conceptual terms

2. Search Memory: Use the MCP memory tool to search episodes

   Call: mcp__memory__memory_search
   Parameters:
   - query: "<key terms>"
   - limit: 5 (default)
   - hours: 168 (default - 1 week, adjust based on recency needs)
   - importance: "high" (optional, for critical decisions)
   

3. Analyze Results: Review the returned episodes for relevance

   • Check episode content for similar patterns
   • Look for successful solutions to similar problems
   • Note any warnings or failures related to your current task
   • Consider the recency and importance of results

4. Apply Learnings: Incorporate relevant findings into your current task

   • Apply successful patterns from past solutions
   • Avoid known pitfalls mentioned in episodes
   • Reference specific episode IDs when documenting your approach
   • If no relevant results found, proceed with standard approach

Example Usage

Scenario: Encountering file permission errors

Key terms: "file permissions", "access denied", "exec command"
Search: mcp__memory__memory_search(query="file permissions error", limit=3)
Results: Found 2 similar episodes with solutions
Apply: Use chmod before running exec commands

Tips

• Use specific, technical terms for better results
• Search multiple times with different term combinations
• Check both recent and older episodes for different perspectives
• High-importance episodes often contain critical lessons
• Episode IDs provide traceability for future reference