Memory Lifecycle Management
In MemOS, memories are not stored statically; they continuously evolve over time and through usage.
1. Capability Overview
A memory, once generated, may gradually consolidate into a stable long-term preference, or be removed if it becomes outdated or invalid.
Tip
This evolutionary process is called Memory Lifecycle Management, and its goal is to keep the memory base “clean and organized.”
This evolutionary process is called Memory Lifecycle Management, and its goal is to keep the memory base “clean and organized.”
- Recently useful entries remain active for easy retrieval;
- Long-term stable facts are consolidated to reduce duplication and noise;
- Outdated or conflicting information is archived or deleted to ensure consistency and compliance.
Note that lifecycle management focuses on the evolution of memory entries at the storage layer; whether a specific memory is invoked during reasoning is still determined by the scheduling mechanism.
Lifecycle Stage Overview
| Stage | Description | System Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Generated | Newly created memory object, with metadata such as source, timestamp, and confidence | Initially stored in the storage layer, awaiting future use |
| Activated | Referenced during reasoning or tasks, entering a high-frequency active state | More likely to be selected by the scheduling mechanism |
| Merged | Semantically overlaps with historical memories or user-provided data, integrated into a new version | Multiple records are compressed and merged into an updated stable entry |
| Archived | Not accessed for a long period, downgraded to cold storage | Only enabled during special retrievals or backtracking |
| Expired (optional) | After archiving, further timeout or policy judgment marks it invalid | Removed from the index, no longer used in reasoning, only minimal logs retained |
| Frozen (special state) | Critical or compliance-related memories are locked and cannot be modified | Full historical versions are preserved for audit and compliance tracking |
2. Example: Memory Lifecycle of an Online Education Assistant
Suppose you are building an online education assistant with MemOS to help students solve math problems.
Generated
- A student says for the first time: “I always confuse quadratic functions with linear functions.”
- The system extracts the memory:
{"value": "The student often confuses quadratic and linear functions", "confidence": 0.8, "timestamp": "2025-09-11"}
- Status: Generated
- Behavior: Stored into the memory base, awaiting future use.
Activated
- In the following problem-solving sessions, the system frequently calls this memory to assist with answers.
- Status: Activated
- Behavior: Prioritized by the scheduling mechanism and cached into the MemoryCube to improve retrieval speed.
Merged
- With more interactions, the system discovers that the student not only confuses linear and quadratic functions, but also struggles with exponential functions.
- The system merges multiple similar memories into:
{"value": "This student is confused about function concepts, especially linear, quadratic, and exponential functions", "confidence": 0.95}
- Status: Merged
- Behavior: Old entries are compressed to form a new version, reducing redundancy.
Archived
- Three months later, the student has mastered function-related concepts, and this memory hasn’t been scheduled for a long time.
- Status: Archived
- Behavior: Migrated into MemVault (cold storage), excluded from reasoning by default, but available in “learning trajectory backtracking.”
Expired
- A year later, the student advances to a new grade level. The old “junior high function confusion” memory is judged invalid by policy.
- Status: Expired
- Behavior: Fully removed from the index, retaining only minimal audit info:
{"deleted_memory_id": "12345", "deleted_at": "2026-09-11"}
Frozen (special state)
- Meanwhile, the student’s “final exam evaluation report” is a compliance-related file that must not be modified.
- Status: Frozen
- Behavior: Locked against updates, retaining full history for audit and compliance inspection.
3. Advanced: Deep Customization Options
| Extension Point | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| State transition conditions | Control the triggers for each state | “If unused for 7 days → Archive” |
| Merge and compression | Define how similar memories are handled | Multiple “likes sci-fi movies” entries merged into one with higher confidence |
| Conflict resolution | Handle memory conflicts in timestamps or sources | Choose “latest entry overrides” or “preserve in parallel” |
| Cleanup mechanism | Set deletion rules to control index size | Remove low-confidence or user-retracted memories |
| Audit trail | Decide whether to retain minimal metadata of deleted items | Enable “trace logs” under compliance requirements |
4. Next Steps
Still have questions? Check out FAQs to see if they can help.
5. Contact Us
Memory Recall and Instruction Completion
In MemOS, memory is not just about archiving information, but also about being dynamically retrieved when needed and transformed into executable input. This process is achieved through two closely connected steps: Memory Recall and Instruction Completion.
FAQs
We have compiled the most common questions about using MemOS. No need to search around; you can quickly find the answers here.