Using Memo

This page shows what a normal day with Memo looks like once it is installed: bringing in what changed, finding something, preparing for a conversation and saving what you learned. Each step links to the page with the details. Most of the time you ask your agent and it runs the commands; the commands are here so you can check what it does.

Bring in what changedCopy Anchor Link

Memo reads your folders and mailboxes when you ask, not all the time. One command brings in everything that changed since the last run:

memo import

Only changed files and new mail are read, so a second run is quick. On Linux, memo auto on runs it for you every few minutes (keeping Memo up to date). Telegram and MAX messages come in through tg and max, not through Memo.

Find somethingCopy Anchor Link

Use memo CLI to find what I wrote or received about the venue for the Harbour project.
Show the matching text and the source of each result.

Your agent searches your notes, mail and messages together and shows where each result comes from. When you know where something is, search only there:

memo search all 'venue'               # messages, mail and notes together
memo search notes 'venue'             # notes only
memo search mail 'from:kai invoice'   # mail only

Search explains the search words and how to give your agent the sources.

Prepare for a conversationCopy Anchor Link

Use memo CLI to show what I know about Kai Sample on Telegram: recent messages, mail and my notes.
Summarise what is still open between us.

memo context telegram:"Kai Sample" gathers the person's recent messages, mail and the notes linked to them, each with its source. See People and projects.

Save what you learnedCopy Anchor Link

memo notes add 'Prefers calls in the morning' --about telegram:'Kai Sample'
memo tags add follow-up --note note:NOTE_ID
memo tasks add --project HRB --title 'Book the venue'

A note keeps your own words about a person, a message or a project (notes). A tag is a label that helps you find things again (tags). A task is something to do (tasks).

Review what your agent suggestedCopy Anchor Link

An agent can propose an action, such as a reply. An app connected through MCP can also save memories and facts. These wait for you:

Use memo CLI to show the memories, facts and actions waiting for my review, with their evidence.
Do not confirm or approve anything; I will decide.

Memories and facts explains how to confirm or reject them. Approving an action makes it a task for you; Memo never sends anything. A memory or fact added with the memo command is confirmed at once. Ask an agent with a terminal to show you the text first, and to add it only after you agree.

Answers for scripts and agentsCopy Anchor Link

Add --json to most commands to get an answer a program can read. The text answer is for people; agents and scripts should ask for JSON.

Every result names its source with a reference, such as note:12, document:3 or msg:telegram/1/77/42. You can pass a reference to other commands: to tag it, write a note about it or use it as evidence. How Memo works explains each kind.

Choosing an accountCopy Anchor Link

When you have several Telegram, MAX or mail accounts, Memo does not choose one for you. Commands that work in one account ask for it with --provider and --account, and tell you which accounts exist when it is missing. A search with no account searches all of them and says so.