Memories & Context

Memories are markdown files that provide persistent context to every conversation in a project. They’re automatically loaded and included in the system prompt, giving the AI assistant relevant background about your codebase, conventions, and preferences.

Context Files

Reliant discovers two context files in your project root:

File	Purpose	Git Status
`reliant.md`	Project context — shared guidelines, architecture notes, conventions	Commit to repository
`reliant.local.md`	Personal context — your local notes, preferences, shortcuts	Add to .gitignore

Both files are automatically loaded when present. Their contents are concatenated and included in every conversation.

What to Include

Project Context (`reliant.md`)

Include information that benefits everyone working on the project:

# Project Overview

Brief description of what this project does and its architecture.

## Key Patterns

- We use repository pattern for data access
- All API endpoints go through the `/api/v1` prefix
- Components follow atomic design (atoms, molecules, organisms)

## Important Files

- `src/config.ts` - All configuration
- `src/api/routes.ts` - API route definitions
- `src/db/schema.ts` - Database schema

## Conventions

- Use `pnpm` not `npm`
- Tests go in `__tests__` directories
- Prefer named exports over default exports

Personal Context (`reliant.local.md`)

Include your personal preferences and local setup details:

# My Setup

## Local Services

- Database: `docker compose up db`
- Backend: `pnpm dev:api` on port 3001
- Frontend: `pnpm dev` on port 3000

## Preferences

- I prefer verbose explanations
- Always suggest tests for new code
- I'm working on the authentication feature this week

## Notes

- The legacy auth system is in `src/auth/legacy` - don't modify
- Alice owns the billing module

Auto-Discovery

Reliant searches for context files in:

Your project root directory
Parent directories (for monorepos)

Files are discovered in this order and concatenated:

reliant.md from root
reliant.local.md from root

[!TIP] Monorepo tip: Place a reliant.md in your monorepo root with shared context, and additional reliant.md files in each package for package-specific context.

Best Practices

Keep it concise — Context files are included in every conversation. Large files consume tokens without proportional benefit. Update regularly — As your project evolves, keep context files current. Outdated information is worse than no information. Separate concerns — Put team knowledge in reliant.md, personal preferences in reliant.local.md. Use structure — Headings and bullet points are easier to scan than prose. Avoid secrets — Never put API keys, passwords, or sensitive data in context files.

Global Context

You can also add global context that applies to all projects. Create a reliant.md file in your global config directory:

~/.reliant/reliant.md

This is useful for personal preferences that should apply everywhere:

# Global Preferences

- I prefer concise responses
- Always use TypeScript, never plain JavaScript
- Include examples with explanations

Global context is loaded before project context, so project-specific context can override global defaults.

Model Configuration — Configure models and providers
MCP Servers — Extend capabilities with external tools
Custom Workflows — Create specialized workflows

Getting Started

Workflows

Workspace & Git

Agent Features

Settings

Architecture

Reference

Help

About

Memories & Context

Context Files

What to Include

Project Context (`reliant.md`)

Personal Context (`reliant.local.md`)

Auto-Discovery

Best Practices

Global Context

​Context Files

​What to Include

​Project Context (reliant.md)

​Personal Context (reliant.local.md)

​Auto-Discovery

​Best Practices

​Global Context

​Related Topics

Context Files

What to Include

Project Context (`reliant.md`)

Personal Context (`reliant.local.md`)

Auto-Discovery

Best Practices

Global Context

Related Topics