Ltm:init

Initialize Long-Term Memory

Set up the claude-ltm memory system in this project.

What to do

1. Check if .memory/DECISIONS.md already exists. If it does, inform the user

that LTM is already initialized and ask if they want to re-initialize (which will update CLAUDE.md instructions but NOT overwrite existing decisions).

1. Create the following structure:

`` .memory/ ├── DECISIONS.md (empty memory with Status + Changelog scaffolding) └── details/ (empty directory for future detail files) ``

1. Create .memory/DECISIONS.md with this content:

```markdown # Project Memory

> Auto-maintained by claude-ltm. Last updated: YYYY-MM-DD

## Status

• Focus:
• Blockers: None
• Open:

## Changelog ```

1. Add the LTM instructions section to the project's CLAUDE.md. If CLAUDE.md

doesn't exist, create it. If it exists, append the LTM section at the end. Do NOT duplicate if `` already exists.

The instructions to add (wrapped in markers for clean uninstall): ```

# Long-Term Memory (claude-ltm)

You have a project decision memory at .memory/DECISIONS.md. This file is the team's persistent record of significant decisions made during development.

## At session start

• Read .memory/DECISIONS.md to understand prior decisions and current status.

## During work

• When you make or discover a significant decision (architecture, tech stack,

changed approach, business logic, resolved debate), update .memory/DECISIONS.md immediately.

• "Significant" = something a teammate joining next week would need to know.

Routine code changes are NOT decisions. Choosing a database IS.

• Each entry gets a ### heading with [date], up to ~10 lines of context.
• If a decision is truly complex (>10 lines), create a detail file in

.memory/details/YYYY-MM-DD-.md and link to it.

• When a prior decision is superseded, update its entry in-place. Note what

changed and why. Update the Changelog section.

• Check for duplicates before adding — update existing entries, don't repeat.

## Before finishing your session

• Do a compact pass: review this session's work and check if any decisions

were made but not yet recorded in .memory/DECISIONS.md.

• Update the Status section (current focus, blockers, open questions).
• Skip if nothing significant was decided.

```

1. Confirm to the user what was created and that LTM is now active.

After initialization

Read .memory/DECISIONS.md to confirm it's properly set up. From now on, follow the LTM instructions in CLAUDE.md for maintaining the decision memory.

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: LaserPhaser
• Source: LaserPhaser/claude-ltm
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.