Memory Optimizer

Optimize Claude Code memory files through a 4-step interactive workflow: remove duplicates, migrate rules to proper config files, compress remaining entries, and validate the result. Typical savings: 30-50% on token count in memory files, meaning faster context loading and lower API cost.

Quick Start

1. Install:

   npx skills add kochetkov-ma/claude-brewcode
   

2. Use via slash command:

   /memory-optimize
   

   Or via natural language prompt:

   Optimize my Claude memory files
   Clean up memory duplicates
   

The skill scans all memory files under ~/.claude/projects/, cross-references them against your CLAUDE.md and rules files, then walks you through each optimization step with approval prompts before making changes.

Why Use This

• Token savings -- 30-50% fewer tokens in memory context means lower cost and more room for actual work
• Interactive -- approve each step, skip steps you don't want; nothing changes without your confirmation
• Safe -- shows before/after preview before making changes; content is only deleted when it provably exists elsewhere
• Smart migration -- moves rules to proper config files (CLAUDE.md, .claude/rules/, ~/.claude/rules/) so they load reliably instead of depending on memory

What It Does

Step 1: Remove Duplicates

Finds memory entries that already exist in CLAUDE.md or rules files. Shows a table of what is redundant, asks for approval before deleting.

Example:

Found 4 duplicate/redundant entries (35% of memory):
| Entry | Memory File | Already In | Action |
|-------|-------------|------------|--------|
| "Search via Bash grep" | MEMORY.md:5 | rules/code-search.md | DELETE |
| "Constructor injection" | MEMORY.md:12 | CLAUDE.md:## DI | DELETE |
| "No System.out" | MEMORY.md:18 | rules/best-practice.md:7 | DELETE |
| "Edit bottom-up" | MEMORY.md:23 | rules/avoid.md:8 | DELETE |

Options: "Yes, delete all" / "Review each" / "Skip this step"

Step 2: Migrate to Rules/CLAUDE.md

Identifies remaining entries that belong in persistent config files rather than memory. Uses a decision tree to categorize each entry:

• Global rule (all projects) --> ~/.claude/rules/
• Project rule (this project) --> .claude/rules/
• Architectural decision --> project CLAUDE.md
• Reusable fact/pattern --> keep in memory
• Session context --> delete (ephemeral)

Shows a migration plan with target files and token savings, asks for approval before moving anything.

Step 3: Compress

Converts remaining entries to token-efficient formats: prose to table rows, multiple entries to a single table, verbose descriptions to imperative one-liners.

Before:

## Plugin Development (2026-01-15)
When developing plugins, remember to update BOTH plugin.json and marketplace.json
files on version bump, otherwise autocomplete will break because versions won't match.

After:

## Plugin Dev
| Rule | Why |
|------|-----|
| Update BOTH plugin.json + marketplace.json on version bump | Autocomplete breaks on mismatch |

Shows 2-3 specific before/after samples with token savings, asks for approval.

Step 4: Validate (Automatic)

Runs automatically after the previous steps. Checks for:

• Broken file path references in memory files
• Contradictions between memory and CLAUDE.md
• Malformed markdown
• Orphaned memory files (files with no MEMORY.md reference)

Reports any issues found and offers to fix them.

Where Information Goes

| Content Type | Goes In | Format | |---|---|---| | Rule applies to all projects | ~/.claude/rules/*.md | Table | | Rule applies to this project | .claude/rules/*.md | Table | | Architectural decision | CLAUDE.md | Section | | Reusable fact/pattern | MEMORY.md | Section by topic | | Session context | DELETE | -- |

Part of Brewdoc

This skill is extracted from brewdoc -- a documentation tools plugin for Claude Code with memory optimization, Claude installation docs, and Markdown to PDF.

claude plugin marketplace add https://github.com/kochetkov-ma/claude-brewcode
claude plugin install brewdoc@claude-brewcode

License

MIT