| name | memtrace-continuous-memory |
| description | Keep the Memtrace index fresh while editing by watching a repo for live, incremental re-indexing. Use when the user asks to keep Memtrace fresh while editing, watch a repo, enable live or incremental indexing, set up always-on memory (meaning Memtrace index watching, not generic agent memory), or make just-saved source code queryable immediately. Do not fall back to repeated Grep or manual rescans; configure Memtrace watching. |
Overview
Keep the knowledge graph live while editing. watch_directory triggers incremental re-indexing on file saves (~80 ms typical latency after debounce).
Required parameters — watch_directory
| Param | Required | Notes |
|---|
path | yes | Absolute directory path |
repo_id | yes | Must already be indexed |
branch | no | default "main" |
{ "path": "/abs/path/to/repo", "repo_id": "memdb" }
Full parameter spec for every Memtrace tool: references/mcp-parameters.md (bundled at the memtrace-skills plugin root).
Steps
1. Confirm indexed
list_indexed_repositories()
Run index_directory first if missing (poll check_job_status; stop after ~5 minutes and report the job id — see memtrace-index).
2. Start watching
See JSON above. Returns immediately; watcher runs in background.
3. Confirm active watches
list_watched_paths()
Response shape: see Output.
4. Edit normally
Next find_symbol / get_symbol_context call sees saved changes after debounce (~500 ms) + incremental persist (~80 ms).
5. Stop watching (kill switch)
unwatch_directory:
{ "path": "/abs/path/to/repo" }
Idempotent — unwatching an already-unwatched path is a no-op.
Latency expectations
| Stage | Typical |
|---|
| Debounce | 500 ms (MCP schema) |
| Incremental persist | ~80 ms |
| Save → queryable | ~80–150 ms after debounce |
Output
watch_directory returns an immediate acknowledgment; the watcher runs in the background. list_watched_paths returns:
{
"watches": [
{ "path": "...", "repo_id": "...", "branch": "...", "started_at": "...", "origin": "..." }
],
"count": 1
}
There is no persist_ms field in this response.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Reality |
|---|
watch_directory(path=...) without repo_id | Both required |
| Watching unindexed repo | Index first |
Expecting persist_ms from list_watched_paths | Field not in MCP response |
| Debounce "50 ms" | Schema documents 500 ms |
