/recall

SkillSearch

Search Origin's local memory by query. Targeted lookup, not orientation. Invoked as `/recall <query>`. Use when the user asks "do you remember", "what do you know about", "look up".

Instructions available. Your AI can read the instructions. Execution depends on the setup they require.

Add ahel to your AI once: Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Claude Code or Codex. Then ask it to use this.

Then ask your AI: use the /recall skill

What this skill tells your AI

The instructions your AI receives, as published by davepoon/buildwithclaude in plugins/origin/skills/recall/SKILL.md and read by ahel’s review.

Search Origin's memory by natural-language query. Returns matching memories ranked by hybrid vector + FTS search, then re-ordered by the agent if it helps.

Two phases

When a local model or API key is configured, the daemon can rerank and expand server-side. In local memory mode it cannot. The skill always does agent-side expansion and rerank itself — cheap, makes results good in both modes.

Phase 1 — expand the query (agent-side)

Before calling recall, rewrite the user's query into a more search-friendly form:

  • Replace pronouns with the referent ("it" → the actual thing).
  • Expand abbreviations the embedder is unlikely to know.
  • Add the obvious synonym when the original term is too narrow (e.g. "auth" → "auth OR authentication").

Don't over-expand. If the query is already specific, leave it alone. One recall call per /recall invocation — duplicate calls double embedding load and the merge step is rarely worth it. The daemon's own search_memory_expanded exists for the multi-query case; if it matters, use that endpoint instead of issuing parallel calls here.

Phase 2 — call the MCP tool

recall(query="<expanded query>", space=<inferred>, memory_type=<inferred>)

Inferences (do not ask the user):

  • space: current working directory (e.g. ~/Repos/origin/... → "origin"), the topic being discussed, or whatever space was mentioned in recent turns. Always pass when scope is known; if uncertain, run list_spaces later (post-PR-C) or omit.
  • memory_type: only when the query itself names a type ("decision on X", "lesson about Y", "preference for Z"). Otherwise omit and let hybrid search rank.
  • limit: default 10. Use 3-5 for quick lookups, 10-20 for exploration.

Phase 3 — rerank (agent-side)

The daemon returns hits ranked by hybrid search. That ranking is good but not perfect — it doesn't know the user's exact intent.

Re-read the returned memories against the original query. Promote the ones that directly answer the question; demote ones that just share keywords.

Show the user the top 3-5 reranked hits. Surface the rest only if asked.

Phase 4 — render revision context (per result)

Each memory may carry revision fields: version, pending_revision, merged_from, last_delta_summary. Most memories are fresh (v1, none set) — render nothing extra for those. Only add a tag line when something meaningful is present.

Condition: emit the tag line when any of these holds:

  • version > 1
  • merged_from is non-empty
  • pending_revision == true

Format — one compact line above the memory body:

<id>  v<N> (merged <K> memories)         ← merged_from has K entries
<id>  v<N>, pending revision against <id> ← pending_revision true
<id>  v<N> — <last_delta_summary>         ← version > 1, delta populated
<id>  v<N>                                ← version > 1, no delta

Rules:

  • Merged takes precedence over pending_revision in the label.
  • Omit — <delta> when last_delta_summary is empty or null.
  • Skip the tag line entirely when version == 1 (or null) and no other flag is set. Preserves current output for fresh memories.

When to use

  • "What did I say about X?"
  • "Do you remember the decision on Y?"
  • Need a specific fact before continuing.

When NOT to use

  • Broad session orientation → use /brief instead.
  • Storing a new memory → use /capture.

Hint: write specific queries

"Alice database preference" finds more than "database stuff". The semantic matcher rewards specificity. If too many results return, add filters rather than making the query longer.

Signals

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Last commit
Sep 2026
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Item type
skill
Key
recall-davepoon
Source
github.com/davepoon/buildwithclaude