Memory Tools Reference

Current tool profiles and core commands

Synthetic Memory Communication (MCP)

Duration: 10 minutes | Difficulty: Intermediate

How AI Tools Access Memory

Continuity's RAG-based synthetic memory system uses the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to communicate with your AI assistants. Think of MCP as the "wire" that connects your AI directly to the project's memory bank. When a client (like Cursor, Claude Code, or VS Code) mounts Continuity's tools, your AI can read and write to the synthetic memory in real-time.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                        MEMORY FLOW                              │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  AI Assistant → MCP Protocol → Synthetic Memory → Project Repo  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

The tool surface exposed via MCP allows your AI to perform high-precision retrieval and storage operations without bloating its context window with the entire codebase.

Tool Profiles

You can control how much of the memory system's functionality is exposed to your AI by selecting a profile:

Profile	Tools	Best For
Core	9	Essential memory operations (read/write decisions)
Standard	25	Balanced memory usage and context tracking
Full	36	Deep memory analytics and system-level diagnostics

Configure in .continuity/config.json or via environment variable:

json

{
  "memoryProfile": "standard"
}

bash

CONTINUITY_MEMORY_PROFILE=standard

Core Memory Tools

These are the primary tools used to interact with the RAG-based memory:

Tool	Purpose
`search_decisions`	High-precision RAG search of the project's memory
`log_decision`	Record new information into the synthetic memory
`get_quick_context`	Retrieve a summarized snapshot of project state
`list_all_decisions`	Browse the complete record of project choices
`read_session_notes`	Access short-term memory for the current session
`update_session_notes`	Update short-term session memory
`read_instructions`	Access persistent project-specific guidance
`update_instructions`	Update persistent project-specific guidance
`get_compliance_metrics`	Analyze how well the AI is utilizing the memory system

Higher profiles may expose additional tools for vector search optimization, navigation, or cross-project memory analysis.

Memory Usage Patterns

Session Initialization

Your AI should start by loading the project's recent memory:

output

get_quick_context
read_session_notes

During Development

When exploring a new area or making changes, your AI uses RAG to find relevant context:

output

search_decisions query="authentication"
log_decision
update_session_notes

Session Wrap-up

The AI summarizes the session's progress into the synthetic memory:

output

update_session_notes section="next_steps"

Key Takeaways

•MCP is the protocol, not the product. Continuity is the synthetic memory system.
•Profile-based access controls the memory surface: core (9), standard (25), full (36).
•RAG-based search allows the AI to find exactly what it needs from years of project history.
•Fallback locally to .continuity/ files when the AI tool doesn't support native protocol mounting.

← Session Notes | Pro Features →