Law 15 · Retrieval & Memory

Memory Is a System, Not a Window

Give the agent a hierarchy, not just a bigger prompt.

The principle

Think of the context window like a computer's RAM. The agent should actively move information between a small in-context working set and large external storage, deciding what to keep, what to evict, and what to recall. Cramming everything into one flat window mixes up working memory with long-term storage and hits hard limits fast. Durable memory needs explicit tiers and self-managed retrieval.

The mechanism, the warning signs, a worked example, and the apply-it recipe for this law are in the complete edition.

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