save-memory

name	save-memory
description	Export and distill the current conversation into a memory file. Use when the user asks to save, remember, or note the current session for future context.
allowed-tools	Bash(date *), Bash(ls *), Write(~/.ai-memory/*), Read(~/.ai-memory/*)

save-memory

What you do with this skill

This skill distills the current conversation into a compact, machine-readable memory file that future Claude Code sessions can load to restore context.

Steps

1. Use the current conversation content as source material

2. Determine current date and time by running date +%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M

3. Verify the memory directory is set up, using the Bash tool:

   • Run: ls -ld ~/.ai-memory and confirm the output starts with l (i.e. ~/.ai-memory is a symlink)
   • If it is not a symlink (or does not exist), stop and ask the user to set it up by running ln -s ~/.dotfiles/.private/AI-MEMORY/ ~/.ai-memory (see ~/.dotfiles/.private/README.md). Do not create it yourself
   • Otherwise, list existing files with: ls ~/.ai-memory 2>/dev/null

4. Secret scan — before writing, review the content you are about to save for potential secrets or sensitive values:

   What to look for:

   • API keys and tokens: strings starting with ghp_, gho_, AKIA, sk-, xox, or matching -----BEGIN.*PRIVATE KEY
   • Variables with sensitive names holding a value: patterns like API_KEY=, _SECRET=, _TOKEN=, PASSWORD=
   • Hardcoded absolute home paths: /Users/<name>/ or /home/<name>/ (prefer ~)
   • Personal or organizational proper nouns that could identify specific individuals or organizations

   If any of the above are found in the content to be saved, use AskUserQuestion to present these options:

   • "Save as-is" — proceed despite the finding
   • "Fix then save" — let the user review and fix the content first
   • "Cancel" — abort without writing

   Only proceed with writing if the user selects "Save as-is", or if nothing suspicious was found.

5. Write (or append) to: ~/.ai-memory/YYYY-MM-DD-{project}-{topic}.md

   • If a file for the same or similar project+topic already exists: append or update it
   • Otherwise: create a new file with header # Memory - YYYY-MM-DD
   • {project} is the short name of the current project (e.g. dotfiles, my-app); omit if the topic is not project-specific

How to distill

From the conversation, extract what is worth remembering across sessions. Write under a timestamped heading: ## [HH:MM] - <short topic title>

The goal is a chronological log of what happened in this session — so a future session can understand the timeline and context without replaying the full conversation.

Keep:

• What was done in this session: changes made, commands run, problems solved (summarized, not verbatim)
• The reason or context behind each action — the "why", which is often invisible in code or git history
• User preferences or constraints discovered during the session
• Errors or pitfalls encountered and how they were resolved
• Decisions made and their rationale

Remove:

• Tool call inputs/outputs and command logs (raw output)
• Verbose code listings (keep only the essential snippet if truly needed)
• Back-and-forth clarification exchanges
• Meta-conversation about the AI itself

The result should be concise — a future session should be able to read it in seconds and understand what happened without replaying the full conversation.

Memory File Location

• Directory: ~/.ai-memory (a symlink to ~/.dotfiles/.private/AI-MEMORY/)
• Filename: YYYY-MM-DD-{project}-{topic}.md (e.g., 2026-03-31-dotfiles-nvim-config.md)
• {project} can be omitted for agent-wide or cross-project notes (e.g., 2026-03-31-workflow-tips.md)