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In-Memory Storage

VoltAgent's core package (@voltagent/core) includes InMemoryStorage, a simple memory provider that stores conversation history directly in the application's memory.

Overview​

  • Use Case: Development, testing, demos, or any scenario where persistent memory across application restarts is not required.
  • Pros: Zero external dependencies, extremely fast, easy to use.
  • Cons: All stored data (conversation history, agent state) is lost when the application stops or restarts.
  • Availability: Included directly in @voltagent/core.

Configuration​

Initialize InMemoryStorage and pass it to your Agent configuration. It accepts optional configuration for limiting storage and enabling debugging.

import { Agent, InMemoryStorage } from "@voltagent/core";
import { VercelAIProvider } from "@voltagent/vercel-ai";
import { openai } from "@ai-sdk/openai";

// Initialize InMemoryStorage
const memory = new InMemoryStorage({
  // Optional: Limit the number of messages stored per conversation thread
  storageLimit: 100, // Defaults to no limit if not specified

  // Optional: Enable verbose debug logging from the memory provider
  debug: true, // Defaults to false
});

const agent = new Agent({
  name: "Ephemeral Agent",
  instructions: "An agent using in-memory storage (history resets on restart).",
  llm: new VercelAIProvider(),
  model: openai("gpt-4o"),
  memory: memory, // Assign the InMemoryStorage instance
});

// Interactions with this agent will use the in-memory store.
// await agent.generateText("Remember this info.", { userId: "user1", conversationId: "conv1" });
// // If the app restarts here, the above message is lost.
// await agent.generateText("Do you remember?", { userId: "user1", conversationId: "conv1" });

Configuration Options:

  • storageLimit (number, optional): The maximum number of messages to retain per unique userId/conversationId pair. When the limit is reached, the oldest messages are discarded to make room for new ones. Defaults to Infinity (no limit).
  • debug (boolean, optional): Enables detailed logging from the InMemoryStorage provider to the console, useful for understanding memory operations during development. Defaults to false.

When to Use​

  • Development & Testing: Quickly test agent logic without setting up a database.
  • Stateless Use Cases: When conversation history is not needed between sessions or application runs.
  • Demos & Examples: Simple setup for showcasing agent capabilities.
  • Caching Layers: Could potentially be used as a short-term cache in more complex memory strategies (though not its primary design).

Avoid using InMemoryStorage in production environments where conversation history needs to be persistent.

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