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interactive-story/backend/tests/test_memory_retrieval.py
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parththakkar106andClaude Opus 5 c0cd6fa7ce Stop a full memory bank from shutting itself
Eviction ranked on use_count first. A memory written this turn has never
been used, so once every survivor in a full bank had been retrieved even
once, the newborn was the lowest row in the bank and was marked forgotten
by the same post-turn run that wrote it — one pass after the one that
embedded it, before retrieval ever saw it.

That state never ends, because counts only go up. The bank an adventure
happened to hold when it first filled is the bank it keeps for good, and
everything the story does afterwards is summarized, evicted and never
ranked. A test now plays four turns against a full bank and asserts the
survivors are the new memories, not the opening ones; before this it kept
the opening three and forgot all four.

Order on last-touch instead, with the count as the tiebreak. A new memory
carries the newest timestamp there is, so it is the safest row in the bank
rather than the most doomed, and it has until something outlives it to
prove itself — the "protect the newest" behaviour falls out of the
ordering rather than being a count of rows to spare. Little is given up:
a memory that is genuinely used stays recently-used by being retrieved,
so the two orders only disagree about memories that mattered once and
have not been wanted since.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_017Dvvqn9ZDR4ixeFPHNbww7
2026-08-18 23:22:00 +05:30

458 lines
17 KiB
Python

"""Ranking the memory bank without reading the memory bank.
Retrieval used to walk `adventure.memories`, which loaded every row *with its
vector* — 96% of everything a turn read. It now asks SQL which memories are in
play, holds their vectors in process, and fetches text for the five it picks.
Three things have to stay true for that to be safe, and each is a separate
failure that no error message would ever report:
* the ranking picks the same memories it always did;
* nothing bulk-reads a vector column again;
* a cached vector is never served after the stored one changed.
python -m pytest tests/test_memory_retrieval.py -v
"""
import os
import tempfile
_tmp = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(suffix=".db", delete=False)
_tmp.close()
os.environ["AIDND_DB_PATH"] = _tmp.name
os.environ.pop("AIDND_DATABASE_URL", None)
os.environ.pop("DATABASE_URL", None)
import asyncio
from datetime import timedelta
import pytest
from sqlalchemy import event, inspect as sa_inspect
from app import memorybank, models
from app.database import Base, SessionLocal, engine
class StubEmbedder:
"""Returns whatever vector the test set, and counts calls."""
def __init__(self, vector=(1.0, 0.0, 0.0)):
self.vector = list(vector)
self.calls = 0
async def embed(self, texts):
self.calls += 1
return [list(self.vector) for _ in texts]
@pytest.fixture()
def db():
Base.metadata.create_all(bind=engine)
memorybank._vector_cache.clear()
session = SessionLocal()
try:
yield session
finally:
session.close()
memorybank._vector_cache.clear()
Base.metadata.drop_all(bind=engine)
@pytest.fixture()
def settings(db):
user = models.User(is_guest=False, email="rank@example.com")
db.add(user)
db.flush()
row = models.Settings(
user_id=user.id, api_key="enc:dummy", model="m",
embedding_model="text-embedding-3-small", memory_top_k=2,
memory_bank_capacity=80,
)
db.add(row)
db.commit()
return row
@pytest.fixture()
def adventure(db, settings):
adv = models.Adventure(
user_id=settings.user_id, title="Cave", script_state={},
memory_bank_enabled=True,
)
db.add(adv)
db.flush()
# Retrieval builds its query from the newest actions; with none, it returns
# before ranking anything.
for i in range(2):
db.add(models.Action(
adventure_id=adv.id, index=i, type="ai", text=f"Something happened {i}."
))
db.commit()
return adv
def add_memory(db, adventure, text, vector, **kwargs):
memory = models.Memory(adventure_id=adventure.id, text=text, **kwargs)
db.add(memory)
db.flush()
if vector is not None:
memorybank.set_vector(memory, list(vector))
db.commit()
return memory
@pytest.fixture()
def bank(db, adventure):
"""Three orthogonal vectors, so a query vector picks one unambiguously."""
return {
"x": add_memory(db, adventure, "about x", (1.0, 0.0, 0.0)),
"y": add_memory(db, adventure, "about y", (0.0, 1.0, 0.0)),
"z": add_memory(db, adventure, "about z", (0.0, 0.0, 1.0)),
}
def retrieve(adventure, settings, embedder, **kwargs):
memorybank.embedding_provider = lambda s: embedder
kwargs.setdefault("update_stats", False)
return asyncio.run(memorybank.retrieve_memories(adventure, settings, **kwargs))
@pytest.fixture()
def sql_log():
statements: list[str] = []
def record(conn, cursor, statement, parameters, context, executemany):
statements.append(statement)
event.listen(engine, "before_cursor_execute", record)
try:
yield statements
finally:
event.remove(engine, "before_cursor_execute", record)
# ------------------------------------------------------------------- ranking
def test_ranks_by_cosine_similarity(db, adventure, settings, bank):
result = retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder((1.0, 0.0, 0.0)))
assert [m["id"] for m in result["used"]][0] == bank["x"].id
assert result["used"][0]["similarity"] == pytest.approx(1.0)
assert result["used"][0]["text"] == "about x"
def test_honours_top_k(db, adventure, settings, bank):
settings.memory_top_k = 1
db.commit()
assert len(retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder())["used"]) == 1
def test_pinned_memories_are_always_used(db, adventure, settings, bank):
"""A pin means "always in context", however badly it scores."""
settings.memory_top_k = 1
bank["z"].pinned = True
db.commit()
used = retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder((1.0, 0.0, 0.0)))["used"]
assert [m["id"] for m in used] == [bank["z"].id]
assert used[0]["pinned"] is True
def test_forgotten_and_unembedded_memories_are_not_candidates(db, adventure, settings):
live = add_memory(db, adventure, "live", (1.0, 0.0, 0.0))
add_memory(db, adventure, "evicted", (1.0, 0.0, 0.0), forgotten=True)
add_memory(db, adventure, "no vector yet", None)
used = retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder())["used"]
assert [m["id"] for m in used] == [live.id]
def test_empty_bank_returns_no_error(db, adventure, settings):
assert retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder()) == {"used": [], "error": None}
def test_missing_embedding_model_is_reported(db, adventure, settings, bank):
settings.embedding_model = ""
db.commit()
result = retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder())
assert result["used"] == [] and "embedding model" in result["error"]
def test_update_stats_bumps_only_the_used(db, adventure, settings, bank):
settings.memory_top_k = 1
db.commit()
retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder((1.0, 0.0, 0.0)), update_stats=True)
db.commit()
db.expire_all()
assert db.get(models.Memory, bank["x"].id).use_count == 1
assert db.get(models.Memory, bank["x"].id).last_used_at is not None
assert db.get(models.Memory, bank["y"].id).use_count == 0
def test_dry_runs_do_not_bump_the_counters(db, adventure, settings, bank):
"""Insights assembles a context without spending a turn; it must not look
like the memories were used."""
retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder(), update_stats=False)
db.commit()
db.expire_all()
assert all(db.get(models.Memory, m.id).use_count == 0 for m in bank.values())
# --------------------------------------------------------------- the egress
def memory_selects(statements):
return [
s for s in statements
if "FROM memories" in s and s.lstrip().upper().startswith("SELECT")
]
def test_the_json_column_is_gone(db):
"""`memories.embedding` held the vectors before migration 38 and nothing
read it afterwards; migration 42 dropped it. Bringing it back would restore
4 MB of dead weight and a second place vectors can be written from — which
is how the model-switch bug happened (test_embedding_model_switch.py)."""
columns = {c["name"] for c in sa_inspect(engine).get_columns("memories")}
assert "embedding" not in columns
assert {"embedding_blob", "embedded"} <= columns
def test_the_catalogue_query_carries_no_vectors(db, adventure, settings, bank, sql_log):
"""The query that decides *which* memories are in play must stay tiny —
this is the one that used to drag the whole bank across."""
retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder())
catalogue = [s for s in memory_selects(sql_log) if "memories.pinned" in s]
assert catalogue, "expected a catalogue query"
assert not any("embedding_blob" in s for s in catalogue)
def test_a_second_turn_reads_no_vectors_at_all(db, adventure, settings, bank, sql_log):
"""The point of the cache: back-to-back turns on one adventure pay for the
vectors once."""
retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder())
sql_log.clear()
retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder())
assert not any("embedding_blob" in s for s in memory_selects(sql_log))
def test_only_the_new_memory_is_fetched_after_one_is_added(db, adventure, settings, bank, sql_log):
"""A growing bank must not re-read the vectors it already holds."""
retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder())
added = add_memory(db, adventure, "about w", (0.5, 0.5, 0.0))
sql_log.clear()
retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder())
vector_reads = [s for s in memory_selects(sql_log) if "embedding_blob" in s]
assert len(vector_reads) == 1
# One placeholder means one id: the new memory, and nothing else.
assert vector_reads[0].count("?") == 1
assert added.id in {m["id"] for m in
retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder((0.5, 0.5, 0.0)))["used"]}
def test_only_top_k_texts_are_fetched(db, adventure, settings, bank, sql_log):
settings.memory_top_k = 1
db.commit()
retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder())
text_reads = [s for s in memory_selects(sql_log) if "memories.text" in s]
assert len(text_reads) == 1
assert text_reads[0].count("?") == 1
# ---------------------------------------------------------------- staleness
def test_a_rewritten_vector_is_not_served_from_cache(db, adventure, settings, bank):
"""The cache's one genuine hazard: a memory keeps its id while its vector
changes, so an id-set check alone would go on serving the old one. Editing
a memory's text and re-embedding it does exactly that.
"""
settings.memory_top_k = 1
db.commit()
first = retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder((0.0, 0.0, 1.0)))
assert [m["id"] for m in first["used"]] == [bank["z"].id]
# z is re-embedded onto the x axis, all within one gap between turns.
memorybank.set_vector(bank["z"], [1.0, 0.0, 0.0])
db.commit()
again = retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder((0.0, 0.0, 1.0)))
assert [m["id"] for m in again["used"]] != [bank["z"].id]
def test_a_deleted_memory_leaves_the_cache(db, adventure, settings, bank):
retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder())
db.delete(bank["x"])
db.commit()
used = retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder((1.0, 0.0, 0.0)))["used"]
assert bank["x"].id not in {m["id"] for m in used}
assert memorybank._vector_cache[adventure.id].keys() == {bank["y"].id, bank["z"].id}
def test_the_cache_is_bounded(db, adventure, settings, bank):
"""It holds vectors indefinitely, so without a bound a long-running process
accumulates every adventure ever played."""
retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder())
for fake_id in range(1000, 1000 + memorybank.VECTOR_CACHE_ADVENTURES + 2):
memorybank._vectors_for(db, fake_id, [])
assert len(memorybank._vector_cache) == memorybank.VECTOR_CACHE_ADVENTURES
assert adventure.id not in memorybank._vector_cache # evicted, least recent
def test_forget_cached_vectors_drops_an_adventure(db, adventure, settings, bank):
retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder())
assert adventure.id in memorybank._vector_cache
memorybank.forget_cached_vectors(adventure.id)
assert adventure.id not in memorybank._vector_cache
# ----------------------------------------------------------------- eviction
def test_eviction_marks_the_least_recently_used(db, adventure, settings):
settings.memory_bank_capacity = 1
db.commit()
now = models.utcnow()
recent = add_memory(db, adventure, "recent", (1.0, 0.0, 0.0), use_count=1)
stale = add_memory(db, adventure, "stale", (0.0, 1.0, 0.0), use_count=1)
recent.last_used_at = now
stale.last_used_at = now - timedelta(days=30)
db.commit()
memorybank._evict_over_capacity(adventure, settings, db)
db.expire_all()
assert db.get(models.Memory, stale.id).forgotten is True
assert db.get(models.Memory, recent.id).forgotten is False
def test_eviction_breaks_ties_on_use_count(db, adventure, settings):
"""Two memories last wanted at the same moment: the one the story has
leaned on less goes. Only a tiebreak — ranking on the count first is what
used to freeze the bank (see below)."""
settings.memory_bank_capacity = 1
db.commit()
now = models.utcnow()
keep = add_memory(db, adventure, "used often", (1.0, 0.0, 0.0), use_count=5)
drop = add_memory(db, adventure, "used once", (0.0, 1.0, 0.0), use_count=1)
keep.last_used_at = drop.last_used_at = now
db.commit()
memorybank._evict_over_capacity(adventure, settings, db)
db.expire_all()
assert db.get(models.Memory, drop.id).forgotten is True
assert db.get(models.Memory, keep.id).forgotten is False
def test_a_newborn_is_not_evicted_by_the_bank_it_joins(db, adventure, settings):
"""The bank used to shut itself. Eviction ranked on use_count first, and a
memory written this turn has never been used, so the moment every survivor
had been retrieved even once the newborn was the lowest row in the bank and
was retired in the same post-turn run that wrote it — before retrieval ever
saw it. That state is absorbing: counts only go up, so no memory written
after it could ever get in either."""
settings.memory_bank_capacity = 3
db.commit()
now = models.utcnow()
established = [
add_memory(db, adventure, f"used once {i}", (1.0, 0.0, 0.0),
use_count=1, last_used_at=now - timedelta(minutes=3 - i))
for i in range(3)
]
newborn = add_memory(db, adventure, "written this turn", (0.0, 1.0, 0.0))
memorybank._evict_over_capacity(adventure, settings, db)
db.expire_all()
assert db.get(models.Memory, newborn.id).forgotten is False
# the least recently used goes instead
assert db.get(models.Memory, established[0].id).forgotten is True
assert db.get(models.Memory, established[2].id).forgotten is False
def test_a_full_bank_still_turns_over(db, adventure, settings):
"""The same failure seen over several turns: a bank at capacity has to keep
taking on what the story is doing now, or the adventure stops remembering
anything past the point it filled up."""
settings.memory_bank_capacity = 3
now = models.utcnow()
db.commit()
for i in range(3):
add_memory(db, adventure, f"opening {i}", (1.0, 0.0, 0.0),
use_count=1, last_used_at=now - timedelta(minutes=10 - i))
later = []
for turn in range(4):
later.append(add_memory(db, adventure, f"turn {turn}", (0.0, 1.0, 0.0)))
memorybank._evict_over_capacity(adventure, settings, db)
db.expire_all()
active = {m.text for m in db.query(models.Memory).filter(
models.Memory.adventure_id == adventure.id,
models.Memory.forgotten.is_(False),
)}
assert active == {"turn 1", "turn 2", "turn 3"}
def test_eviction_never_touches_a_pin(db, adventure, settings):
"""Capacity yields to pins: if everything active is pinned there is nothing
to evict, and the bank is allowed to sit over capacity."""
settings.memory_bank_capacity = 1
db.commit()
pins = [add_memory(db, adventure, f"pin {i}", (1.0, 0.0, 0.0), pinned=True)
for i in range(3)]
memorybank._evict_over_capacity(adventure, settings, db)
db.expire_all()
assert all(db.get(models.Memory, p.id).forgotten is False for p in pins)
def test_eviction_reads_no_vectors(db, adventure, settings, bank, sql_log):
"""It ran every turn and pulled the whole bank to count it."""
settings.memory_bank_capacity = 1
db.commit()
sql_log.clear()
memorybank._evict_over_capacity(adventure, settings, db)
assert not any("embedding_blob" in s for s in memory_selects(sql_log))
def test_evicted_memories_drop_out_of_the_cache(db, adventure, settings, bank):
retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder())
settings.memory_bank_capacity = 1
db.commit()
memorybank._evict_over_capacity(adventure, settings, db)
used = retrieve(adventure, settings, StubEmbedder())["used"]
assert len(used) == 1
assert len(memorybank._vector_cache[adventure.id]) == 1
# ------------------------------------------------------------- embed queue
def test_embed_pending_picks_only_unembedded_memories(db, adventure, settings):
done = add_memory(db, adventure, "already done", (1.0, 0.0, 0.0))
todo = add_memory(db, adventure, "needs a vector", None)
add_memory(db, adventure, "evicted, skip", None, forgotten=True)
embedder = StubEmbedder((0.0, 1.0, 0.0))
memorybank.embedding_provider = lambda s: embedder
asyncio.run(memorybank._embed_pending(adventure, settings, db))
db.expire_all()
assert db.get(models.Memory, todo.id).embedded is True
assert embedder.calls == 1
# The one already embedded keeps the vector it had.
assert db.get(models.Memory, done.id).embedding_blob == memorybank.vectors.pack(
[1.0, 0.0, 0.0]
)
def test_embed_pending_reads_no_vectors(db, adventure, settings, bank, sql_log):
add_memory(db, adventure, "needs a vector", None)
embedder = StubEmbedder()
memorybank.embedding_provider = lambda s: embedder
sql_log.clear()
asyncio.run(memorybank._embed_pending(adventure, settings, db))
assert not any("embedding_blob" in s for s in memory_selects(sql_log))