# Memory Search (/memory/working-with-memories/memory-search)



The local database setup below requires Docker.

`MemoryManager.search_user_memories()` retrieves memories by update time or asks a model to select memories related to a query.

## Code [#code]

```python title="memory-search.py"
from agno.db.postgres import PostgresDb
from agno.memory import MemoryManager, UserMemory
from agno.models.openai import OpenAIResponses
from rich.pretty import pprint

db_url = "postgresql+psycopg://ai:ai@localhost:5532/ai"

memory_db = PostgresDb(db_url=db_url)

memory = MemoryManager(model=OpenAIResponses(id="gpt-5.2"), db=memory_db)

john_doe_id = "john_doe@example.com"
memory.add_user_memory(
    memory=UserMemory(memory="The user enjoys hiking in the mountains on weekends"),
    user_id=john_doe_id,
)
memory.add_user_memory(
    memory=UserMemory(
        memory="The user enjoys reading science fiction novels before bed"
    ),
    user_id=john_doe_id,
)
print("John Doe's memories:")
pprint(memory.get_user_memories(user_id=john_doe_id))

memories = memory.search_user_memories(
    user_id=john_doe_id, limit=1, retrieval_method="last_n"
)
print("\nJohn Doe's last_n memories:")
pprint(memories)

memories = memory.search_user_memories(
    user_id=john_doe_id, limit=1, retrieval_method="first_n"
)
print("\nJohn Doe's first_n memories:")
pprint(memories)

memories = memory.search_user_memories(
    user_id=john_doe_id,
    query="What does the user like to do on weekends?",
    retrieval_method="agentic",
)
print("\nJohn Doe's memories related to the query (agentic):")
pprint(memories)
```

## Retrieval Methods [#retrieval-methods]

| Method    | Result                                                      |
| --------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| `last_n`  | Most recently updated memories                              |
| `first_n` | Least recently updated memories                             |
| `agentic` | Memories a model selects as related to the required `query` |

## Usage [#usage]

<Steps>
    <Step title="Set up your virtual environment">
      <CodeBlockTabs defaultValue="Mac">
        <CodeBlockTabsList>
          <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="Mac">
            Mac
          </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>

          <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="Windows">
            Windows
          </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>
        </CodeBlockTabsList>

        <CodeBlockTab value="Mac">
          ```bash
          uv venv --python 3.12
          source .venv/bin/activate
          ```
        </CodeBlockTab>

        <CodeBlockTab value="Windows">
          ```bash
          uv venv --python 3.12
          .venv\Scripts\activate
          ```
        </CodeBlockTab>
      </CodeBlockTabs>
    </Step>

  <Step title="Set your API key">
    ```bash
    export OPENAI_API_KEY=xxx
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Install dependencies">
    ```bash
    uv pip install -U agno openai sqlalchemy 'psycopg[binary]'
    ```
  </Step>

    <Step title="Run PgVector">
      <CodeBlockTabs defaultValue="macOS / Linux">
        <CodeBlockTabsList>
          <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="macOS / Linux">
            macOS / Linux
          </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>

          <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="Windows">
            Windows
          </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>
        </CodeBlockTabsList>

        <CodeBlockTab value="macOS / Linux">
          ```bash
          docker run -d \
            -e POSTGRES_DB=ai \
            -e POSTGRES_USER=ai \
            -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=ai \
            -e PGDATA=/var/lib/postgresql \
            -v pgvolume:/var/lib/postgresql \
            -p 5532:5432 \
            --name pgvector \
            agnohq/pgvector:18
          ```
        </CodeBlockTab>

        <CodeBlockTab value="Windows">
          ```powershell
          docker run -d `
            -e POSTGRES_DB=ai `
            -e POSTGRES_USER=ai `
            -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=ai `
            -e PGDATA=/var/lib/postgresql `
            -v pgvolume:/var/lib/postgresql `
            -p 5532:5432 `
            --name pgvector `
            agnohq/pgvector:18
          ```
        </CodeBlockTab>
      </CodeBlockTabs>
    </Step>

  <Step title="Run example">
    ```bash
    python memory-search.py
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>