CORE:S:0023 mechanical medium structure core

Agent Memory Directory

Agent memory must be stored in a dedicated directory, separate from instruction content.

Antipatterns

Storing memory files alongside instruction rules in .claude/rules/ instead of a dedicated memory directory. Memory and rules serve different purposes and the check expects a separate memory path.
Creating a memory file at the project root without a containing directory. The check verifies that the memory directory itself exists, not just individual memory files.
Naming the directory something non-standard that the agent does not recognize. The check looks for the memory directory at the path mapped for the memory file type.

project/
  .claude/
    memory/
      MEMORY.md

project/
  .claude/
    rules/
      MEMORY.md

Checks that the memory directory exists. Does not verify it is writable, contains expected subdirectories, or that memory files within it are valid.