---
name: Search Memory
slug: search-memory-2
category: AI Engineering
description: Search Memory searches stored memories when past decisions, solutions, or breakthroughs may help answer the current request. It is used for continuity, recurring problems, and context that suggests prior work matters.
github: "https://github.com/nowledge-co/community/tree/main/nowledge-mem-claude-code-plugin/skills/search-memory"
language: Python
stars: 166
forks: 35
install: "npx degit https://github.com/nowledge-co/community/tree/main/nowledge-mem-claude-code-plugin/skills/search-memory ~/.claude/skills/search-memory"
installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/search-memory
source_path: nowledge-mem-claude-code-plugin/skills/search-memory/SKILL.md
collection_size: 25
category_size: 3670
collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/nowledge-co/community"
added: 2026-09-08T05:34:52.402Z
last_synced: 2026-09-08T05:34:52.402Z
canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/search-memory-2"
---

# Search Memory

Search Memory searches stored memories when past decisions, solutions, or breakthroughs may help answer the current request. It is used for continuity, recurring problems, and context that suggests prior work matters.

**Install:**

```bash
npx degit https://github.com/nowledge-co/community/tree/main/nowledge-mem-claude-code-plugin/skills/search-memory ~/.claude/skills/search-memory
```

## README

# Search Memory

## When to Search (Autonomous Recognition)

**Strong signals:**

- Continuity: Current topic connects to prior work
- Pattern match: Problem resembles past solved issue
- Decision context: "Why/how we chose X" implies documented rationale
- Recurring theme: Topic discussed in past sessions
- Implicit recall: "that approach", "like before"

**Contextual signals:**

- Complex debugging (may match past root causes)
- Architecture discussion (choices may be documented)
- Domain-specific question (conventions likely stored)

**Skip when:**

- Fundamentally new topic
- Generic syntax questions
- Fresh perspective explicitly requested

## Tool Usage

Use `nmem` CLI with `--json` flag for programmatic search:

```bash
# Basic search
nmem --json m search "3-7 core concepts"

# With filters
nmem --json m search "API design" --importance 0.8

# With labels (multiple labels use AND logic)
nmem --json m search "authentication" -l backend -l security

# With time filter
nmem --json m search "meeting notes" -t week
```

Only add `--space "<space name>"` when the user or environment explicitly provided that existing Mem space (for example `NMEM_SPACE`). Never infer a space from the current folder, git repository, branch, or project name.

**Query:** Extract semantic core, preserve terminology, multi-language aware

**Filters:**
- `--importance MIN`: Minimum importance score (0.0-1.0)
- `-l, --label LABEL`: Filter by label (can specify multiple)
- `-t, --time RANGE`: Time filter (today, week, month, year)
- `-n NUM`: Limit number of results (default: 10)

**JSON Response:** Parse `memories` array, check `score` field for relevance

Use thread search when the user is really asking about a prior conversation, previous session, or exact discussion:

```bash
nmem --json t search "query" --limit 5
```

If a memory result includes `source_thread` or thread search finds the likely conversation, inspect it progressively instead of loading the whole thread at once:

```bash
nmem --json t show <thread_id> --limit 8 --offset 0 --content-limit 1200
```

Increase `--offset` only when more messages are actually needed.

**Scores:** 0.6-1.0 direct | 0.3-0.6 related | <0.3 skip

**Examples:**

```bash
# Search with importance filter
nmem --json m search "database optimization" --importance 0.7

# Search with multiple labels
nmem --json m search "React patterns" -l frontend -l react

# Search recent memories
nmem --json m search "bug fix" -t week -n 5
```

## Response

Found: Synthesize, cite when helpful
None: State clearly, suggest distilling if current discussion valuable

## Troubleshooting

If `nmem` is not in PATH: `pip install nmem-cli`, or on Arch Linux `yay -S nmem-cli` / `paru -S nmem-cli`

For remote servers: run `nmem config client set url https://...` and `nmem config client set api-key ...` once on this machine.

Run `/status` to check server connection.