yoi/.yoi/tickets/open/20260607-062902-memory-root-uses-yoi-memory-marker/item.md

id	slug	title	status	kind	priority	labels	workflow_state	created_at	updated_at	assignee	legacy_ticket
20260607-062902-memory-root-uses-yoi-memory-marker	memory-root-uses-yoi-memory-marker	Use .yoi/memory marker for repo-local memory root	open	task	P1	memory workspace worktree config	ready	2026-06-07T06:29:02Z	2026-06-07T07:53:06Z	null	null

Background

.yoi/ currently acts as a broad Yoi workspace/project marker, but using .yoi existence as the memory workspace/root marker is too coarse. .yoi now contains project records such as Tickets, workflows, Knowledge, and config, while .yoi/memory is generated/personal memory state.

Child worktrees should be able to include .yoi/tickets and .yoi/workflow without becoming independent memory roots. Memory root detection should key off .yoi/memory or explicit memory configuration rather than .yoi alone.

Goal

Separate Yoi project/workspace detection from repo-local memory root detection by treating .yoi as the project records marker and .yoi/memory as the repo-local memory root marker.

Target model

• .yoi/ means: this repository/workspace has Yoi project records/config.
• .yoi/memory/ means: this workspace or ancestor is the repo-local memory root.
• Child worktrees may contain .yoi/tickets / .yoi/workflow without causing memory writes into the child worktree.
• Memory root lookup can walk ancestors until it finds .yoi/memory or an explicit configured root.

Requirements

• Audit current workspace/memory root detection code that uses .yoi existence.
• Change memory root detection so .yoi alone is not enough to select a memory root.
• Use an explicit memory root if configured.
• If repo-local memory is enabled and no explicit root is configured, use nearest ancestor containing .yoi/memory.
• If memory is explicitly enabled for a workspace and no .yoi/memory exists yet, create the configured/default memory directory lazily rather than requiring both config and preexisting directory.
• If memory is explicitly disabled, do not use .yoi/memory even if present, unless a separate compatibility mode intentionally says otherwise.
• Decide and document fallback behavior when no explicit memory config and no ancestor .yoi/memory exists:
  • disabled; or
  • user-data workspace overlay;
  • but do not silently treat .yoi alone as memory root.
• Preserve existing generated-memory safety rules: do not copy memory into child worktrees and keep memory logs/generated records out of git-tracked project artifacts.
• Update docs/tests for child worktree behavior and memory root lookup.

Non-goals

• Removing .yoi as a Yoi project records marker.
• Removing repo-local .yoi/memory support entirely.
• Changing Ticket/workflow/project record roots.
• Implementing the child worktree sparse-checkout change; that belongs to narrow-yoi-worktree-sparse-exclusions.

Acceptance criteria

• .yoi alone no longer selects a memory root.
• .yoi/memory can be found by ancestor walk and used as repo-local memory root when enabled/allowed.
• A child worktree containing .yoi/tickets but not .yoi/memory does not become an independent memory workspace.
• Explicit memory enable/disable behavior is tested.
• Documentation clearly distinguishes .yoi project records marker from .yoi/memory repo-local memory marker.