Getting Started¶

This guide takes about 5 minutes. By the end, Copilot will remember something you told it — even after you close VS Code.

Step 1 — Install the extension¶

Open VS Code. Press Ctrl+Shift+X to open Extensions. Search for HackLM Memory. Click Install.

Or click one of these links:

Using an Open VSX-compatible editor? The extension installs and sets up the .memory/ files and copilot-instructions.md reference block in any editor. The storeMemory and queryMemory LM tools, tree view, and status bar require the VS Code LM Tool API and are only available in VS Code 1.99+. See the compatibility table for details.

Step 2 — Open a project folder¶

HackLM Memory works per-project. Open any folder in VS Code (File → Open Folder).

The first time you open a folder after installing, you'll see a pop-up:

HackLM Memory wants to add a memory pointer to your Copilot instructions. Allow?

Click Allow. This is a one-time step. The extension adds a small note to .github/copilot-instructions.md that tells Copilot "hey, you have a memory notebook — here's how to use it."

Don't have a .github/copilot-instructions.md? The extension creates it for you.

Step 3 — Talk to Copilot, confirm the save¶

Open a Copilot chat (Ctrl+Alt+I). Talk normally:

We use esbuild to bundle this project. The entry point is src/extension.ts.

Copilot decides this is worth keeping and shows you a confirmation:

Save to Memory — Decision We use esbuild to bundle this project. The entry point is src/extension.ts. Store this memory?

Click Save. That's the only thing you need to do. The memory is written to .memory/decisions.md in your project folder. You'll see a brief Memory saved message in the status bar.

Open .memory/decisions.md — it's plain text. You can read and edit it directly.

Want it fully automatic? Turn on HackLM Memory: Auto Approve Store in VS Code settings and the confirmation dialog disappears.

Step 4 — Check that it works¶

Close the chat. Open a new one. Ask:

What bundler does this project use?

Copilot checks the notebook and answers: esbuild.

You can close VS Code entirely, come back tomorrow, and it will still know.

The notebook: five sections¶

Your project has one notebook, split into five plain text files under .memory/:

File	What to put here	Example
`decisions.md`	Things you chose and why	"We use PostgreSQL, not SQLite, because of concurrent writes"
`preferences.md`	How you like things done	"Always use named exports, never default exports"
`instructions.md`	Rules Copilot must always follow	"Never use `any` in TypeScript"
`quirks.md`	Weird things about this project	"The API returns 200 even on errors — check the body"
`security.md`	Things that must never happen	"Never log request bodies — they contain PII"

Copilot picks the right file — you just confirm the save when asked.

You can also open and edit these files directly in VS Code — they're just Markdown.

Automatic gap analysis¶

Every third time you save a memory, HackLM Memory automatically reviews what you've stored and suggests anything that looks missing. You'll see a prompt in VS Code with the suggestions — you confirm each one before anything is saved.

You can also trigger a review manually at any time. Open the command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) and run HackLM Memory: Session Review.

In a Copilot chat, you can also ask directly:

Review this session. What decisions did we make that are worth remembering?

Either way, nothing gets saved without your approval.

You're done¶

You now have a Copilot that remembers your project. Keep coding. Every important decision you mention becomes part of the notebook.

What's next?¶

API Reference — if you want to understand the exact commands (storeMemory, queryMemory)
Architecture — if you want to know how it all works internally
Contributing — if you want to improve the extension itself