feat: add ALIVE Context System memory provider

plugins/memory/alive/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+# ALIVE Context System -- Hermes Agent Memory Plugin
+
+**Personal context manager.** File-based, fully local, zero dependencies.
+
+ALIVE gives your Hermes Agent structured persistent memory through *walnuts* -- context units with identity, history, domain knowledge, and current state. Everything lives on your filesystem. Nothing phones home.
+
+## Install
+
+1. Install the ALIVE system: `claude plugin install alive@alivecontext`
+2. Set up your world (or use an existing one)
+3. In Hermes: `hermes memory setup` -> select `alive`
+4. Set `ALIVE_WORLD_ROOT` to your world path (or it auto-detects `~/world`)
+
+## What It Does
+
+| Tool | Purpose |
+|------|---------|
+| `alive_load` | Load a walnut's full context -- identity, state, bundles, recent history |
+| `alive_world` | List all walnuts with health signals (active/quiet/waiting) |
+| `alive_search` | Search across all walnuts -- logs, insights, people, decisions |
+
+## Smart Prefetch
+
+Unlike other memory providers that inject context every turn, ALIVE uses **smart prefetch** -- context is injected only at transition points:
+
+| Trigger | Injection |
+|---------|-----------|
+| Session start | Full walnut briefing |
+| Walnut switch | New walnut's briefing |
+| Post-compression | Re-orient with current state |
+| Orientation query | "What am I working on?" |
+| Normal working turn | Nothing (context already in conversation) |
+
+This saves tokens and keeps the context window clean.
+
+## Lifecycle Hooks
+
+| Hook | Behavior |
+|------|----------|
+| `system_prompt_block()` | Lean ~50 token block. ALIVE availability + tool names. |
+| `prefetch()` | Smart injection at transitions only. |
+| `sync_turn()` | No-op. ALIVE captures explicitly, not every turn. |
+| `on_session_end()` | Persists stash to `.alive/stash.json`, writes squirrel YAML. |
+| `on_pre_compress()` | Flags for re-brief, preserves stash through compression. |
+| `on_memory_write()` | Routes built-in memory writes to walnut insights. |
+| `on_delegation()` | Observes subagent results, stashes findings. |
+
+## Architecture
+
+```
+~/.hermes/plugins/memory/alive/
+  __init__.py    <- MemoryProvider implementation
+  plugin.yaml    <- metadata + hook declarations
+  README.md      <- this file
+
+Your ALIVE world (auto-detected or ALIVE_WORLD_ROOT):
+  .alive/        <- world marker + squirrel entries
+  02_Life/       <- personal walnuts
+  04_Ventures/   <- business walnuts
+  05_Experiments/ <- experiment walnuts
+```
+
+Each walnut has `_kernel/` with:
+- `key.md` -- identity (type, goal, people, rhythm)
+- `log.md` -- prepend-only history
+- `insights.md` -- standing domain knowledge
+- `now.json` -- computed current state (script-generated)
+
+## Differentiation
+
+| | Mem0 / Honcho / etc. | ALIVE |
+|---|---|---|
+| **Model** | Fact extraction from conversations | Structured world of context units |
+| **Storage** | Cloud API / semantic DB | Local filesystem (zero dependencies) |
+| **Granularity** | Individual memories | Walnuts with identity, history, knowledge |
+| **Capture** | Automatic (every turn) | Explicit (stash mechanic, human approval) |
+| **Compounding** | Accumulates facts | Compound loop: crons read/write walnuts |
+| **Cross-project** | Flat namespace | Hierarchical: domains -> walnuts -> bundles |
+| **Cost** | API fees | Zero (file reads/writes) |
+
+## Zero Dependencies
+
+Pure Python. Reads/writes plain files. No API keys. No network calls.
+The only requirement is an ALIVE world on your filesystem.
+
+## Links
+
+- [ALIVE on GitHub](https://github.com/alivecontext/alive)
+- [What is ALIVE?](https://alivecontext.com)