memory-maintenance.uai

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.

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, startup-packet, and progress 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.
• startup-packet.uai points to the active `.uai/` read order, and progress.uai carries reviewed current status.

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
review_status: current until superseded by owner review

Completeness 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#

• AI Memory
• AI Memory Package Wizard
• Project Handoff
• Agent File Handoff
• AGENTS.md Specification

Machine-readable digest#

Agents should treat this digest as page-orientation evidence, not runtime authority.