Context Management

Efficiently manage Memex's memory and project knowledge across your development lifecycle.

Understanding Context Challenges

An often inconvenient property of AI models is that they have limited context windows. As you consume more of the AI model's context, costs increase, latency increases, and often quality goes down. This makes it essential to manage the quality of context for the AI model as your project evolves.

Additionally, as projects grow and span multiple conversations, maintaining consistent understanding of what you've built becomes crucial for continued success.

Memex Context Management

Context Management in Memex provides an intelligent way to maintain project memory and optimize AI performance throughout your project's lifecycle.

How It Works

Every Memex projects comes built in with a context.md file that acts as the central nervous system of your project.

At any point in your project's development, you can trigger a context update by clicking on the brain (🧠) icon on the bottom right of the conversation.

Here's what happens:

1. Project Analysis: Memex analyzes your current project structure and files

2. Conversation Review: It examines your current conversation history and decisions made

3. Cross-Reference: The system cross-references project state with existing AI context

4. Context Optimization: It automatically provides intelligent context updates

5. Custom Steering: You can guide the process with additional prompting if needed

6. Context Injection: The optimized context is intelligently injected into future conversations

When to Use Context Management

Starting a New Conversations in an Existing Projects

When beginning a new conversation in a project you've been working on, either because you are running out of AI model context window, or because you want to start a new feature in a fresh conversation:

Before we continue with new features, please update your context on what we've built so far.

If you are getting close to running out of AI model context window, Memex will proactively prompt you to update the Context and begin a new conversation to ensure a smooth transition.

After Major Milestones

When you've completed significant development phases:

We just finished the user authentication system. Let's update the project context before moving on to the dashboard features.

When Context Feels Outdated

If Memex seems to have forgotten important project details:

You seem to be missing some context about our database structure. Please refresh your understanding of the current project setup.

Before Complex Changes

When planning major modifications or additions:

Before we redesign the API endpoints, make sure you understand the current implementation and how other parts of the system depend on it.

Benefits of Context Management

Better Outcomes

• More accurate understanding of project state

• Consistent decision-making across conversations

• Reduced repetition of explanations

• Better architectural coherence

Improved Efficiency

• Less wasted usage on outdated or irrelevant context

• Faster startup time for new conversations

• More focused AI responses

• Reduced need to re-explain project details

Enhanced Project Continuity

• Seamless handoffs between conversations

• Maintained understanding of design decisions

• Preserved knowledge of project constraints

• Consistent coding patterns and standards

Types of Context Updates

Automatic Project Analysis

Memex automatically identifies and contextualizes:

Project Structure

• File organization and architecture

• Key components and their relationships

• Configuration files and settings

• Dependencies and external services

Code Patterns

• Coding standards and conventions used

• Design patterns and architectural decisions

• Data models and API structures

• Testing approaches and frameworks

Development State

• Completed features and functionality

• Work in progress or incomplete features

• Known issues or technical debt

• Next planned development phases

Custom Context Steering

You can guide the context update process with specific instructions y choosing "Update with custom prompt":

Focus the context update on the database schema and API endpoints. We're about to add new data relationships.

Make sure the context includes our recent decisions about user authentication and authorization patterns.

Update context with emphasis on the frontend component structure since we're redesigning the UI.

Advanced Context Management

Strategic Context Management

For Large Projects

Break context updates into focused areas:

Update context specifically for the user management system - don't worry about the reporting features right now.

For Team Projects

Include team-specific context when relevant:

Include context about our team's coding standards and the review processes we follow.

For Long-Running Projects

Maintain historical context of important decisions:

Make sure the context includes why we chose this particular database architecture and the tradeoffs we considered.

Optimizing Context for Different Tasks

For Bug Fixes

Focus the context update on the specific subsystem where we're seeing the issue, including recent changes that might be related.

For Feature Development

Update context with emphasis on the user experience flow and how this new feature integrates with existing functionality.

For Refactoring

Ensure context includes the full scope of what this code affects and any dependencies that need to be maintained.

Troubleshooting Context Issues

When Context Seems Incomplete

The context update missed some important details about our authentication system. Please specifically review the user management files and update context with how login/logout works.

When Context Is Too Broad

The context is including too much detail about features we're not working on. Focus only on the core application logic for this update.

When Context Conflicts with Current State

There seems to be a mismatch between your context and the current project state. Please do a fresh analysis of the project structure and update accordingly.

Context Management is a powerful feature that grows more valuable as your projects become more complex. Regular use helps maintain the quality and continuity that makes AI development successful over the long term.