Defines memory lifecycle, hot and cold boundaries, compaction cadence, archival policy, promotion and demotion rules, access controls, default active instruction anchors, review gates, validation behavior, and memory write safety.
| File | .uai/memory-maintenance.uai |
|---|---|
| Category | Universal lifecycle and protection policy |
| Required status | Universal required file |
| Main reader | Receiving AI, validator, package builder, human reviewer, package steward |
| Update frequency | At package creation and whenever lifecycle, active instruction anchor, validation, access, archival, or memory-write rules change. |
| Human review requirement | Required before first use and before any lifecycle, active instruction anchor, or access-control change. |
| No-op trigger type | Missing or invalid memory-maintenance.uai, Totem/Taboo/Talisman missing from the required active-anchor read set, missing hot/cold boundary, missing archival rule, or missing enforcement behavior. |
What this file is
Every UAIX memory package MUST contain `.uai/memory-maintenance.uai`. No exceptions. Missing or invalid `.uai/memory-maintenance.uai` makes the package non-compliant.
Why necessary
`.uai/memory-maintenance.uai` governs memory lifecycle, hot/cold boundaries, compaction cadence, archival policy, promotion and demotion rules, access controls, default active instruction anchors, review gates, validation behavior, and memory write safety.
Public execution rule
- Read `.uai/memory-maintenance.uai` immediately after the package entry record and before broad local memory loading.
- Use it to distinguish default readable active instruction files from unauthorized anchor mutation.
- Missing or invalid memory-maintenance is a package, validation, deployment, and startup failure.
- The file requires agents to read and obey Totem, Taboo, and Talisman by default, while preventing anchor mutation unless a human names the exact artifact and exact operation.
UAIX.org dogfood rule
- UAIX.org keeps its own local `.uai/memory-maintenance.uai` in the first-read set for code-bearing Project Handoff work.
- UAIX.org package models, manifest overlays, knowledge graph exports, llms outputs, and public file-guide pages must agree that memory-maintenance, identity, world-context, Totem, Taboo, Talisman, and short-term memory are universal required.
- UAIX.org exports must include Totem, Taboo, and Talisman as default active instruction files.
When required
Universal required file.
What belongs
- Lifecycle states for capture, review, promotion, compaction, archive, demotion, and retirement.
- Hot and cold memory boundaries and the evidence required to promote or demote facts.
- Default active instruction anchor rules for Totem, Taboo, and Talisman.
- Validation behavior, missing-file behavior, startup behavior, and memory-write safety rules.
What does not belong
- Instructions that authorize mutation of Totem, Taboo, or Talisman without exact human artifact-and-operation authorization.
- Secrets, private credentials, raw traces, or unreviewed cold-memory claims.
- Runtime execution credentials, hosted sync promises, or certification claims.
- Any wording that makes the file ignorable, advisory-only, or outside scope without naming the exact boundary.
How receiving AI should use it
- Read this file before broad local memory loading.
- Read and obey Totem, Taboo, and Talisman before broad execution.
- Load ordinary hot context only after the lifecycle, access-control, and active-instruction rules are clear.
- Treat missing or invalid memory-maintenance.uai as a package, validation, deployment, and startup failure.
How human reviewer should use it
- Confirm the file states a concrete required scope rather than a softer invitation to read it.
- Check that current facts have an owner, evidence path, or review source.
- Confirm outdated material was moved to archives or replaced with a dated current record.
- Reject vague language that lets agents ignore package-critical material.
Scenario examples
- A receiving agent opens a Project Handoff package and uses this record to decide whether work may proceed.
- A reviewer sees a contradiction between files and uses the no-op trigger to require clarification before release.
- A maintenance pass promotes a reviewed fact into this file and retires the stale note from active memory.
No-op and human-review triggers
- Missing file for its declared required scope.
- Conflict with universal launch-baseline files.
- Current package work depends on an unreviewed fact.
- The file claims authority beyond its declared profile, mode, package type, or capability.
Update and maintenance rules
- Keep entries short enough to be read at startup.
- Date meaningful updates and record why the change happened.
- Move stale detail to archives after accepted current facts are captured.
- Align generated exports and human-facing memory after changes.
Relationship to other .uai files
- identity.uai names the package and owner.
- world-context.uai locates the operating environment.
- memory-maintenance.uai governs lifecycle, required active instruction anchors, validation behavior, and memory write safety.
- totem.uai and taboo.uai are default guardrails to read and obey; modifications require exact human artifact-and-operation authorization.
- totem.uai, taboo.uai, and talisman.uai are default active instructions; mutation requires exact human artifact-and-operation authorization.
- short-term-memory.uai points to the newest active state.
Minimal example
# memory-maintenance.uai
file: .uai/memory-maintenance.uai
required_status: Universal required file
owner: human-reviewed owner or steward
current_state: accepted current record for this package scope
no_op_trigger: Missing or invalid memory-maintenance.uai, Totem/Taboo/Talisman missing from the required active-anchor read set, missing hot/cold boundary, missing archival rule, or missing enforcement behavior.
evidence: link or local pointer to reviewed source
last_reviewed: YYYY-MM-DDCompleteness checklist
- Required status names the exact scope.
- Owner or reviewer is clear.
- Current facts match related .uai files.
- No-op triggers are concrete.
- Stale material has an archive or replacement path.
Common mistakes
- Using softer language that agents treat as ignorable.
- Mixing current truth with raw source intake.
- Letting the file contradict another required record.
- Leaving no review path for high-impact changes.
Related UAIX records
Machine-readable digest
Agents should treat this digest as page-orientation evidence, not runtime authority.