mem-search

# Search Session Memory Search the persistent memory database for past coding observations, decisions, and context. $ARGUMENTS ## How It Works This skill queries the SQLite FTS5 full-text search index at `~/.softspark/ai-toolkit/memory.db` to find relevant observations from past sessions. ## Instructions 1. **Parse the search query** from `$ARGUMENTS`. If empty, prompt the user for a query. 2. **Initialize the database** if it does not exist: ```bash python3 "$HOME/.softspark/ai-toolkit/hooks/../plugins/memory-pack/scripts/init_db.py" 2>/dev/null || true ``` 3. **Run the FTS5 search** against the observations table: ```bash sqlite3 ~/.softspark/ai-toolkit/memory.db " SELECT o.id, o.session_id, o.tool_name, o.content, o.created_at, s.project_dir, s.summary FROM observations_fts fts JOIN observations o ON o.id = fts.rowid LEFT JOIN sessions s ON s.session_id = o.session_id WHERE observations_fts MATCH '<query>' ORDER BY rank LIMIT 10; " ``` Replace `<query>` with the user's search terms. Escape single quotes by doubling them. 4. **Progressive disclosure** -- present results in two stages: **Stage 1: Summary view** (show first) ```markdown ## Memory Search: "<query>" Found N results across M sessions. | # | Session | Project | Tool | Time | Preview | |---|---------|---------|------|------|---------| | 1 | abc123 | /path | Edit | 2025-01-15 | First 80 chars... | ``` **Stage 2: Detail view** (on request) Show the full observation content, session summary, and related observations from the same session. 5. **If no results found**, suggest: - Trying broader search terms - Checking if memory-pack hooks are installed - Running `init-db.sh` if the database is missing ## Query Tips - Use simple keywords: `mem-search database migration` - FTS5 supports prefix matching: `migrat*` matches "migration", "migrate" - Boolean operators: `database AND NOT test` - Column filters: `tool_name:Edit` to search only Edit tool observations ## Example ```bash /mem-search "postgres migration rollback" ``` Typical output: ``` ## Memory Search: "postgres migration rollback" Found 3 results across 2 sessions. | # | Session | Project | Tool | Time | Preview | |---|---------|------------------|------|------------|--------------------------------------| | 1 | abc123 | magento2-os | Edit | 2026-03-12 | Rolled back 0042_add_tax_col... | | 2 | def456 | magento2-b2b | Bash | 2026-02-28 | pg_dump before schema migration... | | 3 | abc123 | magento2-os | Read | 2026-03-12 | Reviewed migration safety checklist | ``` ## Rules - **MUST** escape single quotes in queries by doubling (`it''s`) — SQL injection into the FTS5 call will break the query - **NEVER** return the raw database path — treat `~/.softspark/ai-toolkit/memory.db` as internal - **CRITICAL**: if the database does not exist, initialize it silently and return zero results — do not fail the skill - **MANDATORY**: present Stage 1 (summary table) first; only expand to Stage 2 on follow-up ## Gotchas - FTS5 `MATCH` is picky: hyphens, slashes, and dots are parsed as operator separators and will reject queries like `mem-search api/v1` with a cryptic `malformed MATCH expression`. Wrap multi-token phrases with double-quotes: `"api/v1"` or `"mem-search"`. - Results are ordered by `rank` (FTS5 relevance), **not** by `created_at`. A stale but high-ranked match outranks a fresh but weak one — include the `created_at` column and consider `ORDER BY rank, created_at DESC` for time-sensitive queries. - The database path is static at `~/.softspark/ai-toolkit/memory.db`. If the user runs from a container, `~` resolves to the container's home, not the host's — the observation list will look empty. Check the env var `SOFTSPARK_HOME` before assuming the DB is missing. - `observations_fts` is a separate virtual table; when observations are deleted directly (not via the SDK) the FTS index can drift. If counts between `observations` and `observations_fts` differ, rebuild with `INSERT INTO observations_fts(observations_fts) VALUES('rebuild');`. ## When NOT to Use - To search the KB or documentation — use `/research-mastery` or `smart_query()` - To find a specific commit — use `git log --grep` or `/git-mastery` - To list agent tasks — use `TaskList` or `/plan` - When memory-pack hooks are not installed — direct the user to install them first