feat(config): split memoryManager flag into autoMemory (#25601)

docs/cli/auto-memory.md

@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+# Auto Memory
+
+Auto Memory is an experimental feature that mines your past Gemini CLI sessions
+in the background and turns recurring workflows into reusable
+[Agent Skills](./skills.md). You review, accept, or discard each extracted skill
+before it becomes available to future sessions.
+
+<!-- prettier-ignore -->
+> [!NOTE]
+> This is an experimental feature currently under active development.
+
+## Overview
+
+Every session you run with Gemini CLI is recorded locally as a transcript. Auto
+Memory scans those transcripts for procedural patterns that recur across
+sessions, then drafts each pattern as a `SKILL.md` file in a project-local
+inbox. You inspect the draft, decide whether it captures real expertise, and
+promote it to your global or workspace skills directory if you want it.
+
+You'll use Auto Memory when you want to:
+
+- **Capture team workflows** that you find yourself walking the agent through
+  more than once.
+- **Codify hard-won fixes** for project-specific landmines so future sessions
+  avoid them.
+- **Bootstrap a skills library** without writing every `SKILL.md` by hand.
+
+Auto Memory complements—but does not replace—the
+[`save_memory` tool](../tools/memory.md), which captures single facts into
+`GEMINI.md`. Auto Memory captures multi-step procedures into skills.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+- Gemini CLI installed and authenticated.
+- At least 10 user messages across recent, idle sessions in the project. Auto
+  Memory ignores active or trivial sessions.
+
+## How to enable Auto Memory
+
+Auto Memory is off by default. Enable it in your settings file:
+
+1.  Open your global settings file at `~/.gemini/settings.json`. If you only
+    want Auto Memory in one project, edit `.gemini/settings.json` in that
+    project instead.
+
+2.  Add the experimental flag:
+
+    ```json
+    {
+      "experimental": {
+        "autoMemory": true
+      }
+    }
+    ```
+
+3.  Restart Gemini CLI. The flag requires a restart because the extraction
+    service starts during session boot.
+
+## How Auto Memory works
+
+Auto Memory runs as a background task on session startup. It does not block the
+UI, consume your interactive turns, or surface tool prompts.
+
+1.  **Eligibility scan.** The service indexes recent sessions from
+    `~/.gemini/tmp/<project>/chats/`. Sessions are eligible only if they have
+    been idle for at least three hours and contain at least 10 user messages.
+2.  **Lock acquisition.** A lock file in the project's memory directory
+    coordinates across multiple CLI instances so extraction runs at most once at
+    a time.
+3.  **Sub-agent extraction.** A specialized sub-agent (named `confucius`)
+    reviews the session index, reads any sessions that look like they contain
+    repeated procedural workflows, and drafts new `SKILL.md` files. Its
+    instructions tell it to default to creating zero skills unless the evidence
+    is strong, so most runs produce no inbox items.
+4.  **Patch validation.** If the sub-agent proposes edits to skills outside the
+    inbox (for example, an existing global skill), it writes a unified diff
+    `.patch` file. Auto Memory dry-runs each patch and discards any that do not
+    apply cleanly.
+5.  **Notification.** When a run produces new skills or patches, Gemini CLI
+    surfaces an inline message telling you how many items are waiting.
+
+## How to review extracted skills
+
+Use the `/memory inbox` slash command to open the inbox dialog at any time:
+
+**Command:** `/memory inbox`
+
+The dialog lists each draft skill with its name, description, and source
+sessions. From there you can:
+
+- **Read** the full `SKILL.md` body before deciding.
+- **Promote** a skill to your user (`~/.gemini/skills/`) or workspace
+  (`.gemini/skills/`) directory.
+- **Discard** a skill you do not want.
+- **Apply** or reject a `.patch` proposal against an existing skill.
+
+Promoted skills become discoverable in the next session and follow the standard
+[skill discovery precedence](./skills.md#skill-discovery-tiers).
+
+## How to disable Auto Memory
+
+To turn off background extraction, set the flag back to `false` in your settings
+file and restart Gemini CLI:
+
+```json
+{
+  "experimental": {
+    "autoMemory": false
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Disabling the flag stops the background service immediately on the next session
+start. Existing inbox items remain on disk; you can either drain them with
+`/memory inbox` first or remove the project memory directory manually.
+
+## Data and privacy
+
+- Auto Memory only reads session files that already exist locally on your
+  machine. Nothing is uploaded to Gemini outside the normal API calls the
+  extraction sub-agent makes during its run.
+- The sub-agent is instructed to redact secrets, tokens, and credentials it
+  encounters and to never copy large tool outputs verbatim.
+- Drafted skills live in your project's memory directory until you promote or
+  discard them. They are not automatically loaded into any session.
+
+## Limitations
+
+- The sub-agent runs on a preview Gemini Flash model. Extraction quality depends
+  on the model's ability to recognize durable patterns versus one-off incidents.
+- Auto Memory does not extract skills from the current session. It only
+  considers sessions that have been idle for three hours or more.
+- Inbox items are stored per project. Skills extracted in one workspace are not
+  visible from another until you promote them to the user-scope skills
+  directory.
+
+## Next steps
+
+- Learn how skills are discovered and activated in [Agent Skills](./skills.md).
+- Explore the [memory management tutorial](./tutorials/memory-management.md) for
+  the complementary `save_memory` and `GEMINI.md` workflows.
+- Review the experimental settings catalog in
+  [Settings](./settings.md#experimental).

docs/cli/settings.md

@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ they appear in the UI.
 | Model Steering                                       | `experimental.modelSteering`     | Enable model steering (user hints) to guide the model during tool execution.                                                                              | `false` |
 | Direct Web Fetch                                     | `experimental.directWebFetch`    | Enable web fetch behavior that bypasses LLM summarization.                                                                                                | `false` |
 | Memory Manager Agent                                 | `experimental.memoryManager`     | Replace the built-in save_memory tool with a memory manager subagent that supports adding, removing, de-duplicating, and organizing memories.             | `false` |
+| Auto Memory                                          | `experimental.autoMemory`        | Automatically extract reusable skills from past sessions in the background. Review results with /memory inbox.                                            | `false` |
 | Use the generalist profile to manage agent contexts. | `experimental.generalistProfile` | Suitable for general coding and software development tasks.                                                                                               | `false` |
 | Enable Context Management                            | `experimental.contextManagement` | Enable logic for context management.                                                                                                                      | `false` |
 

docs/cli/tutorials/memory-management.md

@@ -124,3 +124,5 @@ immediately. Force a reload with:
 - Explore the [Command reference](../../reference/commands.md) for more
   `/memory` options.
 - Read the technical spec for [Project context](../../cli/gemini-md.md).
+- Try the experimental [Auto Memory](../auto-memory.md) feature to extract
+  reusable skills from your past sessions automatically.

docs/reference/configuration.md

@@ -1729,6 +1729,12 @@ their corresponding top-level category object in your `settings.json` file.
   - **Default:** `false`
   - **Requires restart:** Yes
 
+- **`experimental.autoMemory`** (boolean):
+  - **Description:** Automatically extract reusable skills from past sessions in
+    the background. Review results with /memory inbox.
+  - **Default:** `false`
+  - **Requires restart:** Yes
+
 - **`experimental.generalistProfile`** (boolean):
   - **Description:** Suitable for general coding and software development tasks.
   - **Default:** `false`

docs/sidebar.json

@@ -96,6 +96,11 @@
             ]
           },
           { "label": "Agent Skills", "slug": "docs/cli/skills" },
+          {
+            "label": "Auto Memory",
+            "badge": "🔬",
+            "slug": "docs/cli/auto-memory"
+          },
           { "label": "Checkpointing", "slug": "docs/cli/checkpointing" },
           { "label": "Headless mode", "slug": "docs/cli/headless" },
           {

evals/skill_extraction.eval.ts

@@ -149,12 +149,12 @@ async function readSkillBodies(skillsDir: string): Promise<string[]> {
 
 /**
  * Shared configOverrides for all skill extraction component evals.
- * - experimentalMemoryManager: enables the memory extraction pipeline.
+ * - experimentalAutoMemory: enables the Auto Memory skill extraction pipeline.
  * - approvalMode: YOLO auto-approves tool calls (write_file, read_file) so the
  *   background agent can execute without interactive confirmation.
  */
 const EXTRACTION_CONFIG_OVERRIDES = {
-  experimentalMemoryManager: true,
+  experimentalAutoMemory: true,
   approvalMode: ApprovalMode.YOLO,
 };
 

packages/cli/src/acp/commands/memory.ts

@@ -135,10 +135,10 @@ export class InboxMemoryCommand implements Command {
     context: CommandContext,
     _: string[],
   ): Promise<CommandExecutionResponse> {
-    if (!context.agentContext.config.isMemoryManagerEnabled()) {
+    if (!context.agentContext.config.isAutoMemoryEnabled()) {
       return {
         name: this.name,
-        data: 'The memory inbox requires the experimental memory manager. Enable it with: experimental.memoryManager = true in settings.',
+        data: 'The memory inbox requires Auto Memory. Enable it with: experimental.autoMemory = true in settings.',
       };
     }
 

packages/cli/src/config/config.ts

@@ -990,6 +990,7 @@ export async function loadCliConfig(
     disabledSkills: settings.skills?.disabled,
     experimentalJitContext: settings.experimental?.jitContext,
     experimentalMemoryManager: settings.experimental?.memoryManager,
+    experimentalAutoMemory: settings.experimental?.autoMemory,
     contextManagement,
     modelSteering: settings.experimental?.modelSteering,
     topicUpdateNarration:

packages/cli/src/config/settingsSchema.ts

@@ -2213,6 +2213,16 @@ const SETTINGS_SCHEMA = {
           'Replace the built-in save_memory tool with a memory manager subagent that supports adding, removing, de-duplicating, and organizing memories.',
         showInDialog: true,
       },
+      autoMemory: {
+        type: 'boolean',
+        label: 'Auto Memory',
+        category: 'Experimental',
+        requiresRestart: true,
+        default: false,
+        description:
+          'Automatically extract reusable skills from past sessions in the background. Review results with /memory inbox.',
+        showInDialog: true,
+      },
       generalistProfile: {
         type: 'boolean',
         label: 'Use the generalist profile to manage agent contexts.',

packages/cli/src/test-utils/mockConfig.ts

@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ export const createMockConfig = (overrides: Partial<Config> = {}): Config =>
       fireSessionStartEvent: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
     })),
     isMemoryManagerEnabled: vi.fn(() => false),
+    isAutoMemoryEnabled: vi.fn(() => false),
     getListExtensions: vi.fn(() => false),
     getExtensions: vi.fn(() => []),
     getListSessions: vi.fn(() => false),

packages/cli/src/ui/AppContainer.tsx

@@ -486,8 +486,8 @@ export const AppContainer = (props: AppContainerProps) => {
       setConfigInitialized(true);
       startupProfiler.flush(config);
 
-      // Fire-and-forget memory service (skill extraction from past sessions)
+      // Fire-and-forget Auto Memory service (skill extraction from past sessions)
-      if (config.isMemoryManagerEnabled()) {
+      if (config.isAutoMemoryEnabled()) {
         startMemoryService(config).catch((e) => {
           debugLogger.error('Failed to start memory service:', e);
         });

packages/cli/src/ui/commands/memoryCommand.test.ts

@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ describe('memoryCommand', () => {
 
       const mockConfig = {
         reloadSkills: vi.fn(),
-        isMemoryManagerEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
+        isAutoMemoryEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
       };
       const context = createMockCommandContext({
         services: {
@@ -491,11 +491,11 @@ describe('memoryCommand', () => {
       expect(result).toHaveProperty('component');
     });
 
-    it('should return info message when memory manager is disabled', () => {
+    it('should return info message when auto memory is disabled', () => {
       if (!inboxCommand.action) throw new Error('Command has no action');
 
       const mockConfig = {
-        isMemoryManagerEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
+        isAutoMemoryEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
       };
       const context = createMockCommandContext({
         services: {
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ describe('memoryCommand', () => {
         type: 'message',
         messageType: 'info',
         content:
-          'The memory inbox requires the experimental memory manager. Enable it with: experimental.memoryManager = true in settings.',
+          'The memory inbox requires Auto Memory. Enable it with: experimental.autoMemory = true in settings.',
       });
     });
 

packages/cli/src/ui/commands/memoryCommand.ts

@@ -145,12 +145,12 @@ export const memoryCommand: SlashCommand = {
           };
         }
 
-        if (!config.isMemoryManagerEnabled()) {
+        if (!config.isAutoMemoryEnabled()) {
           return {
             type: 'message',
             messageType: 'info',
             content:
-              'The memory inbox requires the experimental memory manager. Enable it with: experimental.memoryManager = true in settings.',
+              'The memory inbox requires Auto Memory. Enable it with: experimental.autoMemory = true in settings.',
           };
         }
 

packages/core/src/config/config.test.ts

@@ -3443,6 +3443,50 @@ describe('Config JIT Initialization', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('isAutoMemoryEnabled', () => {
+    it('should default to false', () => {
+      const params: ConfigParameters = {
+        sessionId: 'test-session',
+        targetDir: '/tmp/test',
+        debugMode: false,
+        model: 'test-model',
+        cwd: '/tmp/test',
+      };
+
+      config = new Config(params);
+      expect(config.isAutoMemoryEnabled()).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should return true when experimentalAutoMemory is true', () => {
+      const params: ConfigParameters = {
+        sessionId: 'test-session',
+        targetDir: '/tmp/test',
+        debugMode: false,
+        model: 'test-model',
+        cwd: '/tmp/test',
+        experimentalAutoMemory: true,
+      };
+
+      config = new Config(params);
+      expect(config.isAutoMemoryEnabled()).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should be independent of experimentalMemoryManager', () => {
+      const params: ConfigParameters = {
+        sessionId: 'test-session',
+        targetDir: '/tmp/test',
+        debugMode: false,
+        model: 'test-model',
+        cwd: '/tmp/test',
+        experimentalMemoryManager: true,
+      };
+
+      config = new Config(params);
+      expect(config.isMemoryManagerEnabled()).toBe(true);
+      expect(config.isAutoMemoryEnabled()).toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('reloadSkills', () => {
     it('should refresh disabledSkills and re-register ActivateSkillTool when skills exist', async () => {
       const mockOnReload = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({

packages/core/src/config/config.ts

@@ -701,6 +701,7 @@ export interface ConfigParameters {
   experimentalJitContext?: boolean;
   autoDistillation?: boolean;
   experimentalMemoryManager?: boolean;
+  experimentalAutoMemory?: boolean;
   experimentalContextManagementConfig?: string;
   experimentalAgentHistoryTruncation?: boolean;
   experimentalAgentHistoryTruncationThreshold?: number;
@@ -942,6 +943,7 @@ export class Config implements McpContext, AgentLoopContext {
   private readonly adminSkillsEnabled: boolean;
   private readonly experimentalJitContext: boolean;
   private readonly experimentalMemoryManager: boolean;
+  private readonly experimentalAutoMemory: boolean;
   private readonly experimentalContextManagementConfig?: string;
   private readonly memoryBoundaryMarkers: readonly string[];
   private readonly topicUpdateNarration: boolean;
@@ -1154,6 +1156,7 @@ export class Config implements McpContext, AgentLoopContext {
 
     this.experimentalJitContext = params.experimentalJitContext ?? false;
     this.experimentalMemoryManager = params.experimentalMemoryManager ?? false;
+    this.experimentalAutoMemory = params.experimentalAutoMemory ?? false;
     this.experimentalContextManagementConfig =
       params.experimentalContextManagementConfig;
     this.memoryBoundaryMarkers = params.memoryBoundaryMarkers ?? ['.git'];
@@ -2486,6 +2489,10 @@ export class Config implements McpContext, AgentLoopContext {
     return this.experimentalMemoryManager;
   }
 
+  isAutoMemoryEnabled(): boolean {
+    return this.experimentalAutoMemory;
+  }
+
   getExperimentalContextManagementConfig(): string | undefined {
     return this.experimentalContextManagementConfig;
   }

schemas/settings.schema.json

@@ -2954,6 +2954,13 @@
           "default": false,
           "type": "boolean"
         },
+        "autoMemory": {
+          "title": "Auto Memory",
+          "description": "Automatically extract reusable skills from past sessions in the background. Review results with /memory inbox.",
+          "markdownDescription": "Automatically extract reusable skills from past sessions in the background. Review results with /memory inbox.\n\n- Category: `Experimental`\n- Requires restart: `yes`\n- Default: `false`",
+          "default": false,
+          "type": "boolean"
+        },
         "generalistProfile": {
           "title": "Use the generalist profile to manage agent contexts.",
           "description": "Suitable for general coding and software development tasks.",