An agent needs a fact only for the current task. Which memory fits?
Why D is the answer
Short-term memory
Keep short-lived information short-lived. Storing it longer adds noise and stale context.
In detail
- Short-term memory holds what this task needs, and then it is gone.
- Keep lasting facts elsewhere.
Use case
An illustrative scenario, not a real incident.
An agent notes a file path it needs for the next few steps. That belongs in short-term memory, and it can go when the task ends.
See it in different ways
flowchart TD
A{"How long is it needed?"} -->|"This session"| B["Short-term memory"]
A -->|"Across sessions"| C["Long-term memory"]
A -->|"Across tools and people"| D["External: files in the repository"]mindmap
root((Agent memory))
Short term
This task only
External
Files in the repository
Progress artifacts
Copilot Memory
Repository facts
Care
Expiry
Pruningflowchart TD
Q{"Who needs the fact?"}
Q -->|"This task only"| A0["Short-term memory"]
Q -->|"Other tools and people"| A1["External memory"]Key point: Short-term memory is for the current task.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. A permanent organization-wide document
- A permanent document is too much for a passing fact.
- B. A new repository created for that one fact
- A repository for one fact is excessive.
- C. A policy setting at the enterprise level
- A policy is not a place to store a fact.