Definition · context memory
working memory
working memory is the term for Goals, facts, and partial results kept close while an agent works. You can spot working memory in practice when the record shows what the system observes, what choice it makes, and what changes next, without asking the reader to guess or trust a slogan.
157 definitions656 sourced recordsNamed source: ACL Anthology
Why does working memory matter?
What stays close shapes every next step, so the agent should keep current goals and evidence while dropping irrelevant noise. For working memory, start with three checks: What is kept, and for how long? Who can write or retrieve it? How would bad data be found and removed? The answers should point to visible evidence, not a promise.
What does working memory look like?
A coding agent keeps the failing test, edited files, and latest command output in active context. This example makes working memory visible by naming the actor, the action, and the result in practice. It is an illustration for readers, not a claim that every product behaves this way.
What is working memory easy to confuse with?
Working memory is the active material used now. Short-term memory is the broader state retained through the current run. The closest entries here are short-term memory, context caching, context compression. Compare their definitions with working memory before using the names as if they mean the same thing.
How certain is this definition?
This definition is provisional. ACL Anthology supports the version you see today, but a better or more direct source may change it. Open the cited page and check its date before you use this entry to choose a product, write a policy, set a safety control, or design a system.
Who introduced the term working memory?
We have not verified who first introduced working memory. The source supports a useful definition, but it may not be the earliest use. Until a dated primary record settles the question, we leave the origin open. A popular article or product page is not enough to name the person who coined a term.
What should you understand before working memory?
Read memory first when working memory depends on a more basic idea or mechanism. The link gives you a useful route through the glossary. It does not mean every author teaches the subject in this order, so follow the source when the sequence matters.
What should this term help you answer?
Use working memory to ask what an agent can observe, decide, change, remember, or hand off. The questions below turn the definition into a practical check. They are prompts for your own work, not claims made by the source, so change them to fit the system you are examining.
- What is kept, and for how long?
- Who can write or retrieve it?
- How would bad data be found and removed?
Which source supports this definition of working memory?
ACL Anthology supports this working definition of working memory. We checked the link on 2026-07-12. Open the original record for its context, methods, limits, and publication details. The short explanation here is a guide to working memory; the linked source remains the evidence to inspect when the wording or boundary matters.
source foundworking memoryChecked 2026-07-12→