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Purpose

mem_timeline shows what happened before and after a specific observation, providing temporal context. Use this when you need to understand the sequence of events surrounding a particular memory. This is useful for understanding:
  • What led up to a specific change or decision
  • What happened as a result of an action
  • The flow of work during a coding session

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Parameters

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observation_id
number
required
Observation ID from mem_search results
​
before
number
default:"3"
Number of observations to show before the target (max: 10)
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after
number
default:"3"
Number of observations to show after the target (max: 10)

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Response Format

Returns a structured timeline with three sections: Example response: 
**Before:**
  [140] 2026-03-01 | read: Reviewed authentication middleware
  [141] 2026-03-01 | grep: Searched for login errors
  [142] 2026-03-01 | edit: Updated error handling in auth.ts

**Target [143]:** bash — Started test suite to verify auth fixes
Files: tests/auth.test.ts

**After:**
  [144] 2026-03-01 | read: Checked test results
  [145] 2026-03-01 | bash: Committed authentication fixes
  [146] 2026-03-01 | write: Updated documentation
Each entry shows:
  • Observation ID in brackets
  • Date (YYYY-MM-DD)
  • Tool name
  • Compressed summary of the observation
The Target section shows the requested observation with additional details like files referenced.

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Usage Example

Get context around a specific observation: 
{
  "observation_id": 143
}
Show more context (broader timeline): 
{
  "observation_id": 143,
  "before": 5,
  "after": 5
}
Only show what happened before: 
{
  "observation_id": 143,
  "before": 10,
  "after": 0
}

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Tips

  • Use after search: Get the observation_id from mem_search results first
  • Understand sequences: Perfect for understanding multi-step debugging or feature development
  • Adjust window size: Use larger before/after values for complex workflows
  • Session boundaries: Timeline shows observations in chronological order, even across different days
  • Invalid IDs: If the observation_id doesn’t exist, you’ll get an error message

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