By name: memex-kb-usage description: This skill should be used when the user asks to "search the KB", "find documentation", "add to knowledge base", "document this pattern", "check organizational docs", or when an agent discovers reusable knowledge worth preserving.
Using the Memex Knowledge Base
Memex is a knowledge base for documenting patterns, infrastructure, troubleshooting guides, and operational knowledge. This skill teaches how to search, contribute, and maintain the KB effectively.
Project vs User KB
Memex supports two knowledge base locations:
| Scope | Location | Use For |
|---|---|---|
project |
./kb/ |
Team docs, shared patterns. Commit to git. |
user |
~/.memex/kb/ |
Personal notes, available across all projects. |
By default, searches include both KBs. Use --scope to target one:
mx search "query" --scope=project # Project KB only
mx add --title="Note" --scope=user # Add to personal KB
mx list --scope=project # List project entries only
When to Search the KB
Search the knowledge base BEFORE asking questions about:
- Infrastructure (DNS, cloud, networking, servers)
- Development conventions and patterns
- CI/CD pipelines and deployment procedures
- Known issues and their solutions
- Architectural decisions and trade-offs
mx search "kubernetes deployment"
mx search "cloudflare" --mode=semantic # Semantic search only
mx search "dns" --tags=infrastructure # Filter by tag
If no relevant entries are found, that's valuable information - consider contributing what you learn.
When to Contribute
Add new entries when you discover:
- Solutions to problems that took significant debugging
- Patterns that should be reused across projects
- Infrastructure configurations worth documenting
- Operational procedures that aren't obvious
- Architectural decisions with their rationale
Do NOT create entries for:
- Project-specific details (use project docs instead)
- Temporary workarounds (unless they're long-term)
- Information already in upstream documentation
Entry Format
Every KB entry requires YAML frontmatter:
---
title: Clear, Descriptive Title
tags: [infrastructure, kubernetes, networking]
created: 2024-01-15
---
# Title
Content goes here...
See [[references/entry-format]] for the complete specification.
Modifying Entries
Three commands for different modification needs:
mx patch - Surgical edits (preferred)
Find and replace specific text while preserving everything else:
mx patch devops/deploy.md --find "old text" --replace "new text"
mx patch devops/deploy.md --find "TODO" --replace "DONE" --replace-all
mx patch devops/deploy.md --find "..." --replace "..." --dry-run # Preview
Use --dry-run to preview changes before applying.
mx append - Add content to existing entry
Append content to the end of an entry (or create if not found):
mx append "Daily Log" --content="Session summary here"
mx append "API Docs" --file=new-section.md
mx replace - Full replacement
Overwrite entire content or tags (use sparingly):
mx replace path/entry.md --tags="new,tags"
mx replace path/entry.md --content="Completely new content"
mx replace path/entry.md --file=rewritten.md
When to use each:
| Command | Use When |
|---|---|
mx patch |
Fixing typos, updating specific sections, surgical edits |
mx append |
Adding new sections, appending logs, incremental updates |
mx replace |
Rewriting entries, changing tags, full overhaul |
Linking Best Practices
Bidirectional links help readers discover related knowledge:
See also [[devops/kubernetes-basics]] for cluster setup.
Related: [[troubleshooting/dns-issues]]
Guidelines for linking:
- Link when entries genuinely relate (encouraged, not required)
- Think about what a reader might want to explore next
- Don't force links just to have them
- Update existing entries to link to new content when relevant
Tag Taxonomy
Use existing tags when possible. Check what tags exist before inventing new ones:
mx tags # List all tags with usage counts
Common tags by category:
- infrastructure:
cloud,dns,networking,servers,storage - devops:
ci,cd,monitoring,deployment,docker,kubernetes - development:
python,rust,go,testing,tooling - troubleshooting:
debugging,performance,errors
See [[references/categories]] for the full category taxonomy.
Quality Guidelines
Titles: Be specific. "Kubernetes Pod Networking" not "K8s Stuff".
Content:
- Keep entries focused on one topic
- Include actionable information (commands, configs, steps)
- Add examples when they clarify usage
- Explain the "why" not just the "what"
Maintenance:
- Update existing entries rather than creating duplicates
- Mark outdated information clearly
- Remove entries that are no longer relevant
Quick Reference
| Action | Command | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Search | mx search |
mx search "cloudflare dns" |
| Add entry | mx add |
mx add --title="DNS Setup" --tags=infra --content="..." |
| Read entry | mx get |
mx get infrastructure/dns.md |
| Patch entry | mx patch |
mx patch path.md --find="X" --replace="Y" |
| Append | mx append |
mx append "Title" --content="..." |
| Replace | mx replace |
mx replace path.md --tags="new,tags" |
| Browse | mx tree |
mx tree |
| List | mx list |
mx list --tags=devops |
| Tags | mx tags |
mx tags |
| Health | mx health |
mx health |
Useful flags:
--scope=project|user- Target specific KB (works with search, add, list)--mode=semantic|keyword|hybrid- Search mode (default: hybrid)--json- Machine-readable output (most commands)--dry-run- Preview changes without applying (patch)
Anti-patterns
- Creating an entry without searching first (may duplicate)
- Using
mx replacewhenmx patchwould preserve context - Linking everything to everything (dilutes link value)
- Using project-specific tags in org-wide KB
- Leaving entries without tags or with wrong category