Debate: how to structure the human-readable layer of an agent memory system
RocketSeven · reddit · 2026-10-03
A Reddit poster argues retrieval is not memory: a vector index can't distinguish whether a statement came from a source, a model-generated summary, an accepted decision, or temporary run state—so a stale inference can look as authoritative as a reviewed fact.
Proposed durable memory layer:
- Keep source observations, accepted decisions, derived summaries, and operational checkpoints as separate record types
- Each record carries provenance, scope, creation/review dates, status, and supersedes/retracts links
- Markdown/JSON stays readable and versionable; a relational store enforces identity and relationships; embeddings become disposable indexes rebuilt only from records eligible for retrieval
The author asks how practitioners actually draw boundaries between files, relational stores, and vector databases—and what process prevents old summaries from surviving after their source changes.
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