5.2 KiB
Never-Forget Protocol — Context Protection System
Status: ACTIVE Purpose: Prevent context loss through proactive checkpointing Cost: ~30 seconds every 10 exchanges Benefit: 95% context recovery if truncation happens
The Problem
Context windows fill up. When they do:
- Older messages get compacted or lost
- You lose decisions, action items, status
- Human has to re-explain everything
- Hours of work vanish
Without protection: 100% context loss With Never-Forget: Max 5% loss (since last checkpoint)
How It Works
Monitor Context Usage
Check regularly during conversations:
📚 Context: 36k/200k (18%)
Threshold Actions
| Context % | Status | Action |
|---|---|---|
| < 50% | 🟢 Normal | Write decisions as they happen naturally |
| 50-70% | 🟡 Vigilant | Write key points after substantial exchanges |
| 70-85% | 🟠 Active | Write EVERYTHING important NOW. Don't wait. |
| > 85% | 🔴 Emergency | STOP. Write full context summary. Then resume. |
| After compaction | ⚫ Recovery | Note what was lost. Verify continuity. |
Checkpoint Triggers
Write a checkpoint to memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md when:
- ✅ Every ~10 exchanges/back-and-forth messages
- ✅ At natural end of session/conversation break
- ✅ Before major decision or action
- ✅ When context reaches 70%+
- ✅ Before any risky or long-running operation
Checkpoint Format
Standard Checkpoint (Every ~10 exchanges)
## Checkpoint [HH:MM] — Context: XX%
**Decisions Made:**
- Decision 1 (reasoning)
- Decision 2 (reasoning)
**Action Items:**
- [ ] Item 1 (owner)
- [ ] Item 2 (owner)
**Open Questions:**
- Question 1?
- Question 2?
**Current Status:**
Brief description of where things stand
**Resume Instructions:**
1. First thing to do if context is lost
2. Continue from here
Emergency Checkpoint (85%+ context)
## EMERGENCY CHECKPOINT [HH:MM] — Context: XX%
**TASK:** [One line - what we're doing]
**STATUS:** [One line - where we are]
**NEXT:** [One line - immediate next step]
**BLOCKED:** [If anything]
**FILES:** [Key files involved]
Pre-Operation Checkpoint
Use before any operation that could fail or take significant time:
## Pre-Operation [HH:MM]
**About to:** [Operation]
**Current state:** [Where we are]
**After success:** [What to do next]
**If failure:** [Recovery steps]
What to Capture
When context is high, write to memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md:
- ✅ Decisions made and their reasoning
- ✅ Action items and who owns them
- ✅ Open questions or threads
- ✅ Significant learnings
- ✅ Any conversation that would be hard to reconstruct
Critical question: "Could future-me continue this conversation from notes alone?"
Recovery Procedure
After context loss or compaction:
-
Check latest checkpoint
Read memory/[TODAY].md -
Load permanent context
Read MEMORY.md Read SOUL.md (identity) Read USER.md (human context) -
Follow resume instructions
- Checkpoints include "Resume Instructions"
- Follow them exactly
-
Acknowledge the gap
"Resuming from checkpoint at [time]. Last captured: [status]. Continuing with [next action]." -
Verify continuity
- Ask if anything was missed
- Confirm priorities haven't changed
Memory Flush Checklist
When context approaches 70%+:
- [ ] Key decisions documented?
- [ ] Action items captured?
- [ ] New learnings written?
- [ ] Open loops noted?
- [ ] Could future-me continue from notes alone?
Integration with HEARTBEAT
Step 0 (HEARTBEAT.md): Check context % before anything else Step 1.5 (HEARTBEAT.md): Write checkpoint every ~10 exchanges Never-Forget Protocol: Emergency procedures when context is critical
These work together:
- Step 0 = Prevention (catch it early)
- Step 1.5 = Routine checkpointing
- Never-Forget = Emergency recovery
The Golden Rule
If it's important enough to remember, write it down NOW — not later.
Don't assume future-you will have this conversation in context.
Why This Works
| Scenario | Without Protocol | With Protocol |
|---|---|---|
| Session truncated | 100% loss, start over | Read checkpoint, 95% recovered |
| Long conversation | Context fills, loses beginning | Checkpoints preserve key decisions |
| Resume next day | "What were we doing?" | Read yesterday's notes, continue |
| Complex task | Lose track of progress | Resume instructions tell you exactly where |
Common Mistakes
❌ Waiting too long — "I'll checkpoint later" → Context fills → Lost ❌ Incomplete checkpoints — Missing resume instructions → Can't continue ❌ Ignoring threshold — See 70%, keep working → Emergency at 90% ❌ Not checking Step 0 — Start task at 85% context → Immediate crisis
✅ Do it proactively — Checkpoint before you need it ✅ Include resume instructions — Future you will thank you ✅ Respect thresholds — 70% means stop and checkpoint
The best checkpoint is the one you write before you need it.
Part of AI Persona OS by Jeff J Hunter — https://os.aipersonamethod.com