moai-cc-memory-arch

Context window overflow occurs when session history and project context exceed available tokens. Implement layered memory strategies with just-in-time retrieval to selectively load only relevant context, structured summaries to compress historical information, and memory-file patterning to organize System Prompt, Tools, Session History, and Project Context separately within your response budget.

Design layered memory with tiered access: core system instructions and tools in permanent memory, active session history in working memory, and project context in retrieval-indexed files. Use just-in-time loading to fetch only necessary context during each task phase—feature development, handoffs, and refactoring—reducing token consumption while maintaining full project awareness.

Context budgeting becomes critical in large projects with extended multi-task sessions where accumulated history and broad project scope risk exhausting available tokens. Apply structured context budgeting during feature development to track token usage, at handoffs to compress and archive prior work, and during refactoring to selectively reload only affected modules.

Memory summaries compress historical information into dense, retrievable records organized by topic or phase. Instead of keeping full conversation history in active context, summaries enable just-in-time retrieval: load the specific summary relevant to your current task, reducing overall token load while preserving decision history and implementation details.

Yes. Memory-file patterning separates concerns into distinct files: one for architecture decisions, one for completed work summaries, one for active task state, and one for dependency tracking. This modular approach lets you load only the memory file relevant to your current development phase, optimizing context usage throughout feature cycles.

Even with optimized memory architecture, extremely large projects may require choosing between full historical context and current task focus. Token budget remains finite; prioritize active work and critical decisions over exhaustive history. Regularly archive completed phases into compressed summaries to free context for ongoing development.