# PARA Memory Files

Stores and retrieves durable notes across sessions in a file-based PARA system.

- Repository: https://github.com/paperclipai/paperclip (109885 stars)
- Category: AI and agents
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-11-01
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add paperclipai/paperclip --skill para-memory-files -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add paperclipai/paperclip --skill para-memory-files -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add paperclipai/paperclip --skill para-memory-files -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add paperclipai/paperclip --skill para-memory-files -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

Use a file-based PARA memory system to store, retrieve, and organize durable knowledge across sessions. Trigger on saving facts, daily notes, entity records, weekly synthesis, recall, tacit user patterns, or plan memory.

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

# PARA Memory Files

Persistent, file-based memory organized by Tiago Forte's PARA method. Three layers: a knowledge graph, daily notes, and tacit knowledge. All paths are relative to `$AGENT_HOME`.

## Three Memory Layers

### Layer 1: Knowledge Graph (`$AGENT_HOME/life/` -- PARA)

Entity-based storage. Each entity gets a folder with two tiers:

1. `summary.md` -- quick context, load first.
2. `items.yaml` -- atomic facts, load on demand.

```text
$AGENT_HOME/life/
  projects/          # Active work with clear goals/deadlines
    <name>/
      summary.md
      items.yaml
  areas/             # Ongoing responsibilities, no end date
    people/<name>/
    companies/<name>/
  resources/         # Reference material, topics of interest
    <topic>/
  archives/          # Inactive items from the other three
  index.md
```

**PARA rules:**

- **Projects** -- active work with a goal or deadline. Move to archives when complete.
- **Areas** -- ongoing (people, companies, responsibilities). No end date.
- **Resources** -- reference material, topics of interest.
- **Archives** -- inactive items from any category.

**Fact rules:**

- Save durable facts immediately to `items.yaml`.
- Weekly: rewrite `summary.md` from active facts.
- Never delete facts. Supersede instead (`status: superseded`, add `superseded_by`).
- When an entity goes inactive, move its folder to `$AGENT_HOME/life/archives/`.

**When to create an entity:**

- Mentioned 3+ times, OR
- Direct relationship to the user (family, coworker, partner, client), OR
- Significant project or company in the user's life.
- Otherwise, note it in daily notes.

For the atomic fact YAML schema and memory decay rules, see [references/schemas.md](references/schemas.md).

### Layer 2: Daily Notes (`$AGENT_HOME/memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md`)

Raw timeline of events -- the "when" layer.

- Write continuously during conversations.
- Extract durable facts to Layer 1 during heartbeats.

### Layer 3: Tacit Knowledge (`$AGENT_HOME/MEMORY.md`)

The rest: https://github.com/paperclipai/paperclip/blob/HEAD/skills/para-memory-files/SKILL.md