# Tiered Memory

Three-tier agent memory model (hot/cold/wiki) for context reduction per spawn

- Repository: https://github.com/microsoft/waza (1496 stars)
- Category: AI and agents
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-10-31
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add microsoft/waza --skill tiered-memory -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add microsoft/waza --skill tiered-memory -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add microsoft/waza --skill tiered-memory -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add microsoft/waza --skill tiered-memory -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

Three-tier agent memory model (hot/cold/wiki) for context reduction per spawn

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Skill: Tiered Agent Memory

> **Status (v0.10.0):** This skill describes a **design proposal**, not a shipped runtime. Skill files install via `squad init`/`upgrade`, but the underlying tier scaffolding (`.squad/memory/hot/`, `cold/`, `wiki/`), Scribe promotion logic, and spawn-template tier-aware reads are tracked in [bradygaster/squad#1264](https://github.com/bradygaster/squad/issues/1264). Until those land, agents continue to load full `history.md` + `decisions.md` on every spawn.

## Overview

Squad agents today load their full context history on every spawn, which grows unboundedly across sessions. The Tiered Agent Memory model proposes a three-tier separation so agents only load the bytes that are actually relevant to the current task, with older context kept available on demand.

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## Memory Tiers

### 🔥 Hot Tier, Current Session Context
- **Size target:** keep small (~2, 4KB typical)
- **Load policy:** Always loaded. Every spawn includes hot memory by default.
- **Contents:** Current task description, active decisions made this session, immediate blockers, last 3, 5 actions taken, who you are talking to right now.
- **Lifetime:** Current session only. Discarded after session ends (Scribe promotes relevant parts to Cold).
- **Purpose:** Provide immediate task context without any latency or load decision.

The rest: https://github.com/microsoft/waza/blob/HEAD/.github/skills/tiered-memory/SKILL.md