memory-tasks

Memory Tasks

Manage work-in-progress using Basic Memory's schema system. Tasks are just notes with type: Task — they live in the knowledge graph, validate against a schema, and survive context compaction.

When to Use

• Starting multi-step work (3+ steps, or anything that might outlast the context window)
• After compaction/restart — search for active tasks to resume
• Pre-compaction flush — update all active tasks with current state
• On demand — user asks to create, check, or manage tasks

Task Schema

Tasks use the BM schema system (SPEC-SCHEMA). The schema note lives at memory/schema/Task.md:

---
title: Task
type: schema
entity: Task

Creating a Task

When work qualifies, create a task note. Use write_note with note_type="Task" and put queryable fields in metadata:

Why both frontmatter and observations? Fields in metadata (stored as frontmatter) power search_notes with metadata_filters. Fields as observations (- [status] active) power schema_validate. Include queryable fields in both places for full coverage.

Key Principles

• Steps are concrete and checkable — "Implement X in file Y", not "figure out stuff"
• Context is for post-amnesia resumption — Write it as if explaining to a smart person who knows nothing about what you've been doing
• Relations link to other entities — parent_task [[Other Task]], related_to [[Some Note]]
• note_types is case-sensitive — write_note(note_type="Task") stores the type as lowercase task in frontmatter. Use note_types=["task"] (lowercase) in search queries.

Resuming After Compaction

On session start or after compaction:

1. Search for active tasks:

   search_notes(note_types=["task"], status="active")

2. Read the task note to get full context

3. Resume from current_step using the context field

4. Update as you progress — increment current_step, update context, check off steps

Updating Tasks

As work progresses, update the task note:

## Steps
1. [x] First step — done, resulted in X
2. [x] Second step — done, changed approach because Y
3. [ ] Third step — next up
 
## Context
Updated context reflecting current state...

Update frontmatter too:

current_step: 3

Completing Tasks

When done:

status: done
completed: YYYY-MM-DD

Add a brief summary of what was accomplished and any follow-up needed.

Pre-Compaction Flush

When a compaction event is imminent:

1. Find all active tasks: search_notes(note_types=["task"], status="active")
2. For each, update:
   • current_step to reflect actual progress
   • context with everything needed to resume
   • Step checkboxes to show what's done
3. This is critical — context not written down is context lost

Querying Tasks

With BM's schema system, tasks are fully queryable:

Guidelines

• One task per unit of work — Don't cram multiple projects into one task
• Externalize early — If you think "I should remember this", write it down NOW
• Context > steps — Steps tell you what to do; context tells you why and how
• Close finished tasks — Don't leave completed work as active
• Link related tasks — Use parent_task [[X]] or relations to connect related work
• Schema validation is your friend — Run schema_validate(noteType="Task") periodically to catch incomplete tasks