Memory Decisions & Worked Examples
When to use which memory type, with three real-world scenarios: customer support, sales agent, and code assistant.
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After this section you can
- Choose the lowest memory layer that meets a product need, using the decision flow and tradeoff matrix
- Pick the owner key (user, account or project) and explain what leaks or breaks if it is wrong
- Defend a memory design for a support, sales or coding agent, including what the source of truth is
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Memory Decisions & Worked Examples
Knowing the layers is the easy part. The design skill is choosing the lowest one that works, keying it to the right owner, and knowing when memory must defer to a live system. Three real systems, traced.
Key idea
Choose memory by two decisions: the lowest layer that meets the need, and the owner the memory belongs to (user, account or project). The owner key sets who can see it, who must be able to delete it, and what leaks if a filter is missing.
Take the first exit that meets the need. Every step to the right adds cost, privacy load and something to evaluate.