Foundations
Agent Memory Explained
The difference between working context, durable memory, retrieval, and application state.
Context is working memory
The context window holds the information available to the model for the current decision. It is temporary, limited, and increasingly noisy when filled with an entire interaction history.
Durable memory is selective
Long-term memory stores information outside the model, such as preferences, decisions, or task summaries. The system needs rules for what is worth saving, how it is retrieved, and when it expires.
State is not memory
Authoritative facts such as payment status or workflow stage belong in a database, not a conversational memory. Agents may read that state, but application logic should remain the source of truth.