pmm:init

pmm:init

Initialize Poor Man's Memory in the current project. Runs the preference wizard, scaffolds memory/, and configures the plugin hooks.

When to run: First time only. If memory/ already exists, skip to Step 4 (check for config drift).

Plugin note: PMM auto-loads at session start via the SessionStart hook. No CLAUDE.md changes needed — the hook handles Tier 1 injection automatically when you install the pmm plugin.

---

Step 1 — Check for existing installation

Read the current directory. If memory/config.md exists, PMM is already initialised. Tell the user:

PMM is already initialised in this project. Run pmm:settings to change configuration.

Stop. Do not overwrite existing memory files.

---

Step 2 — Preference wizard

Present these questions interactively before creating any files. Use the AskUserQuestion tool with multiple-choice options where specified.

Q1: Save cadence — How often should memory be updated?

Options:

• every-milestone (default) — at decisions, completions, session breaks
• every-N-messages — specify a number, e.g. every 5 messages
• on-request — only when you explicitly ask

Note: For frequent saves, choose every-N-messages — hooks handle the trigger automatically.

Q2: Commit behaviour — When should changes be committed to git?

Options:

• auto-commit (default) — each save cycle ends with a commit
• session-end — files updated throughout, one commit at session end
• manual — you decide when to commit

Git commits are your audit trail. Auto-commit means you never lose work.

Q3: Sliding window size — How many entries to load at session start for timeline.md and summaries.md:

Options:

• light — 30 timeline / 5 summaries
• moderate (default) — 50 timeline / 10 summaries
• heavy — 100 timeline / 20 summaries
• unlimited — load full file at session start

Files are never truncated on disk. The window controls session-start injection only. Git is the full audit trail.

Q4: Verbosity — How should memory updates be communicated?

Options:

• silent — agent status indicator only
• summary (default) — one-line confirmation after updates
• verbose — full detail of what changed

Q5: Repository visibility — Is this repository public or private?

Options:

• public (default) — avoid personal emails, use handles over full names, summarise sensitive decisions without verbatim internal detail
• private — no PII restrictions, full fidelity

Memory files accumulate names, decisions, and business context. This controls how the maintain agent handles that data.

Q6: Maintain agent model — Which model handles memory updates?

Options:

• haiku (default) — fastest and cheapest, good for structured file edits
• sonnet — balanced, better for nuanced or complex updates
• opus — most capable, highest cost

Maintain work is mechanical (read, append, replace sections). Haiku handles it well at ~10x less cost than Opus.

Q7: Active files — Which memory files do you want? All are active by default.

Multi-select from:

• memory.md — long-term project facts
• assets.md — people, tools, systems, organisations
• decisions.md — committed decisions, append-only
• processes.md — workflows and repeatable procedures
• preferences.md — user style, quirks, working habits
• voices.md — tone profiles and reasoning lenses
• lessons.md — mistakes and lessons learned, append-only
• timeline.md — compressed chronological record (sliding window)
• summaries.md — periodic session rollups (sliding window)
• progress.md — current state, milestones, what's next
• last.md — last 3–5 significant actions in detail
• graph.md — typed edges between concepts, decisions, entities
• vectors.md — semantic similarities, clusters, embedding registry
• taxonomies.md — classification systems and naming conventions
• standinginstructions.md — persistent rules that always apply, append-only

Deactivated files are not created and won't be maintained. You can activate them later with pmm:settings.

Q8: Context tiers — How should memory files load at session start?

Options:

• tiered (default) — Tier 1 (12 core files) via SessionStart hook; Tier 2 (graph, vectors, taxonomies, assets) read on demand. Saves ~14k tokens per session.
• all-in-context — all active files loaded at session start

Tier 1 covers everything needed for session orientation. Tier 2 is reference/historical data — loaded on demand when a request needs it.

Q9: Memory priority — How should PMM interact with Claude's built-in auto-memory?

Options:

• pmm-first (default) — PMM is the source of truth; Claude auto-memory kept minimal (skill references and feedback only)
• deduplicate — actively merge overlapping content between both systems
• coexist — both operate independently

Claude Code has its own auto-memory. PMM-first means PMM wins — no duplication of decisions, lessons, or timeline events.

---

Step 3 — Write config.md

Write memory/config.md using the user's answers. Use this exact format:

# PMM Configuration

Settings that control how Poor Man's Memory behaves.
Run `pmm:settings` at any time to change these.

## Save Cadence

- Mode: <Q1 answer>

## Commit Behaviour

- Mode: <Q2 answer>

## Sliding Window Size

- Timeline max: <from Q3: light=30, moderate=50, heavy=100, unlimited=9999>
- Summaries max: <from Q3: light=5, moderate=10, heavy=20, unlimited=9999>

## Verbosity

- Mode: <Q4 answer>

## Repository Visibility

- Visibility: <Q5 answer>

## Maintain Agent Model

- Model: <Q6 answer>

## Readonly Agent Model

- Model: haiku

## Session Start

- Mode: lazy

## Maintain Strategy

- Strategy: single

## Recall Beyond Window

- Mode: prompt

## Context Tiers

- Mode: <Q8 answer>

## Memory Priority

- Mode: <Q9 answer>

## Pre-Compact Hook

- pre_compact: on

## Active Files

<!-- Which memory files are active. Deactivated files are not created or loaded. -->
<!-- config.md and BOOTSTRAP.md are always active. -->
<!-- Load Strategy column is optional. Missing = defaults to full. -->
<!-- Valid strategies: full | tail:N | header | skip -->
<!-- Tier 2 files (graph, vectors, taxonomies, assets) are not loaded at session start regardless of strategy. -->
<for each active file, apply default load strategy:>
- memory.md: active | full
- assets.md: active
- decisions.md: active | tail:10
- processes.md: active | full
- preferences.md: active | full
- voices.md: active | full
- lessons.md: active | tail:5
- timeline.md: active | tail:5
- summaries.md: active | full
- progress.md: active | full
- last.md: active | full
- graph.md: active
- vectors.md: active
- taxonomies.md: active
- standinginstructions.md: active | full
<for each file NOT in Q7 active list: "- <file>: inactive">

## Protected Files

- secrets.md: protected
- secrets_git: never

---

Step 4 — Scaffold memory files

Dispatch a general-purpose agent using the Readonly Agent Model from config (haiku by default) with this prompt:

Scaffold the memory/ directory for Poor Man's Memory. This is a WRITE task — create files. Do NOT run git commands.

1. Read references/core.md for the file inventory and rules.
2. Read references/templates.md for the initial content of each file.
3. Read memory/config.md to determine which files are active.
4. Create the memory/ directory if it doesn't exist.
5. Always create memory/BOOTSTRAP.md — use the template from references/templates.md.
6. memory/config.md is already written — skip it.
7. For each file marked active in config.md, create it using its template from references/templates.md. Skip inactive files.
8. Always create memory/secrets.md from its template — it is local-only and gitignored regardless of the active files list.
9. Return a confirmation listing: files created, files skipped (inactive), and any errors.

Wait for the agent to return before proceeding.

---

Step 5 — Git setup

Run the following in order:

1. Check if a git repo exists:

   git rev-parse --is-inside-work-tree 2>/dev/null
   

   • If exit code is non-zero: run git init and tell the user the repo was initialised.
   • If already a git repo: note it and continue.

2. Create .gitignore entry for secrets.md if not already present:

   grep -q "memory/secrets.md" .gitignore 2>/dev/null || echo "memory/secrets.md" >> .gitignore
   

3. Stage and commit the scaffolded files:

   git add memory/ .gitignore && git reset HEAD memory/secrets.md 2>/dev/null; git commit -m "memory: initialise PMM structured memory"
   

---

Step 6 — Confirm and guide

Tell the user:

PMM is initialised. Here's what was set up:

• memory/ scaffolded with files
• Config: , ,
• Active files:

How it works:

• The SessionStart hook loads Tier 1 memory files into context automatically when you start a session. No CLAUDE.md changes needed.
• Run pmm:save to save memory at any time.
• Run pmm:settings to change configuration.
• Run pmm:hydrate to populate memory files from existing project context.

To pre-approve git commands for memory operations (avoids permission prompts), add this to .claude/settings.json:

{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": [
      "Bash(git add memory/*)",
      "Bash(git commit -m *)",
      "Bash(git push origin main*)"
    ]
  }
}

---

Rules

• Never overwrite an existing memory/ installation. Check first (Step 1).
• File structure rules and file-by-file operating rules are in references/core.md — do not duplicate them here.
• Templates for each memory file are in references/templates.md.
• Agents edit files only. Main context handles all git commands.
• memory/secrets.md is always created, always gitignored, never committed.
• The SessionStart hook injects Tier 1 files into context at session start. No CLAUDE.md changes needed.

---

Phase 4 — Implicit Recall (mid-conversation)

Implicit recall handles mid-conversation memory lookups without explicit pmm:query invocation. It follows a tiered escalation:

T1 — In-Context (0ms overhead)

Search files already loaded in the context window via the SessionStart hook. Whatever load strategy delivered at session start — full, tail:N, or header — search that content first.

T2 — Extended Context (<500ms)

If T1 misses, read Tier 2 files on demand (graph.md, vectors.md, taxonomies.md, assets.md). Only read files relevant to the query — not all four.

T3 — Full File Reads (<2s)

If still no results, re-read all active files in full (overriding tail:N / header load strategies from session start) and search again. This catches entries that exist in memory files but were outside the loaded window at session start.

T4 — Git History (<10s)

If T1+T2+T3 all miss, fall back to git history search (git log --grep + git show).

Implicit recall never prompts for T4 git access. It follows the Recall Beyond Window config silently:

• If Mode: auto — search git history silently
• If Mode: prompt — implicit recall stops at T3. The user must run pmm:query explicitly to trigger the prompt gate for git history access.

Each tier stops on hit. No unnecessary escalation.