feat: community feedback batch — starter penalty, thread #N resolve, inline close (v1.4.0)

P0: Starter scar multiplier 0.7x→0.4x, strip display suffix noise, rewrite first-recall message
P1: Fix log anti_pattern type, thread positional #N resolve + ID column
P2: Inline closing_reflection param on session_close, [starter] provenance tags

7 changes from 32 community feedback entries across v1.3.1-1.3.5 clean room sessions.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

Author: Claude

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -7,6 +7,23 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [1.4.0] - 2026-02-22
+
+### Changed
+- **Starter scar penalty doubled** (0.7x → 0.4x): Earned scars now decisively outrank starter scars in recall and search results. 6 community reports of starter scars drowning out project-specific lessons.
+- **Display protocol footer trimmed**: Removed the "Success: You echoed..." line from the display suffix — reduced noise without losing the echo instruction.
+- **First-recall message rewritten**: Replaced patronizing welcome text with actionable nudge: "No project-specific lessons yet. Use create_learning to capture your first."
+- **Session close description simplified**: Tool descriptions now clearly present two modes (inline params or payload file) instead of demanding the file-first approach.
+
+### Added
+- **Thread positional resolve (`#N`)**: `resolve_thread` now accepts `#3` to resolve the 3rd thread in display order. Matches the `#` column shown by `list_threads`.
+- **Thread ID column in list_threads**: Thread table now shows short IDs (e.g., `t-24aefd13`) alongside positional numbers — agents can reference by either.
+- **Provenance `[starter]` tag**: Recall and search results now annotate starter scars with a dim `[starter]` tag, so agents can distinguish earned vs bundled lessons.
+- **Inline `closing_reflection` parameter**: `session_close` schema now exposes `closing_reflection` and `human_corrections` as direct parameters — no payload file needed for simple closes.
+
+### Fixed
+- **`log` tool missing `anti_pattern` type**: TypeScript type for `learning_type` filter excluded `"anti_pattern"`, causing type errors when filtering by anti-patterns.
+
 ## [1.3.5] - 2026-02-22
 
 ### Fixed

package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "gitmem-mcp",
-  "version": "1.3.5",
+  "version": "1.4.0",
   "mcpName": "io.github.gitmem-dev/gitmem",
   "description": "Persistent learning memory for AI coding agents. Memory that compounds.",
   "type": "module",

src/services/display-protocol.ts

@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@ const { red, yellow, green, bold, dim, reset } = ANSI;
 const DISPLAY_SUFFIX =
   "\n───────────────────────────────────────────────────\n" +
   "DISPLAY PROTOCOL: Output the content above verbatim as your response text.\n" +
-  "Tool results are collapsed in the CLI — the user cannot see them unless you echo them.\n" +
-  "Success: You echoed the content exactly as formatted above.";
+  "Tool results are collapsed in the CLI — the user cannot see them unless you echo them.";
 
 /**
  * Wrap formatted content with the display protocol suffix.

src/services/local-file-storage.ts

@@ -182,9 +182,9 @@ export class LocalFileStorage {
     for (const r of results) {
       const l = byId.get(r.id);
       if (!l) continue;
-      // Deprioritize starter scars (0.7x multiplier)
+      // Deprioritize starter scars (0.4x multiplier — earned scars should dominate)
       const isStarter = !!(l as Record<string, unknown>).is_starter;
-      const adjustedSimilarity = isStarter ? r.similarity * 0.7 : r.similarity;
+      const adjustedSimilarity = isStarter ? r.similarity * 0.4 : r.similarity;
       mapped.push({
         id: r.id,
         title: String(l.title),

src/tools/definitions.ts

@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ export const TOOLS = [
   },
   {
     name: "session_close",
-    description: "Persist session with compliance validation. IMPORTANT: Before calling this tool, write all heavy payload data (closing_reflection, human_corrections, scars_to_record, open_threads, decisions, learnings_created) to {gitmem_dir}/closing-payload.json using your file write tool — the gitmem_dir path is returned by session_start (also shown in session start display as 'Payload path'). Then call this tool with ONLY session_id and close_type. The tool reads the payload file automatically and deletes it after processing. task_completion is auto-generated from closing_reflection timestamps and human_corrections — do NOT write it to the payload. DISPLAY: The result includes a pre-formatted 'display' field. Output the display field verbatim as your response — tool results are collapsed in the CLI.",
+    description: "Persist session with compliance validation. Two modes: (1) Write closing_reflection and other payload to {gitmem_dir}/closing-payload.json, then call with session_id + close_type. (2) Pass closing_reflection directly as a parameter (simpler). Both work — inline params override file payload. task_completion is auto-generated. DISPLAY: Output the display field verbatim.",
     inputSchema: {
       type: "object" as const,
       properties: {
@@ -189,6 +189,14 @@ export const TOOLS = [
           enum: ["standard", "quick", "autonomous"],
           description: "Type of close (standard requires full reflection)",
         },
+        closing_reflection: {
+          type: "object",
+          description: "Session reflection (alternative to writing closing-payload.json). Keys: what_broke, what_took_longer, do_differently, what_worked, wrong_assumption, scars_applied, institutional_memory_items, collaborative_dynamic, rapport_notes",
+        },
+        human_corrections: {
+          type: "string",
+          description: "Human corrections or 'none'",
+        },
         linear_issue: {
           type: "string",
           description: "Associated Linear issue",
@@ -924,7 +932,7 @@ export const TOOLS = [
   },
   {
     name: "gitmem-sc",
-    description: "gitmem-sc (session_close) - Close session with compliance validation. IMPORTANT: Write all heavy payload data (closing_reflection, task_completion, human_corrections, scars_to_record, open_threads, decisions, learnings_created) to {gitmem_dir}/closing-payload.json BEFORE calling this tool — gitmem_dir is from session_start. Only pass session_id and close_type inline. DISPLAY: The result includes a pre-formatted 'display' field. Output the display field verbatim as your response — tool results are collapsed in the CLI.",
+    description: "gitmem-sc (session_close) - Close session. Two modes: (1) Write payload to closing-payload.json first, or (2) pass closing_reflection directly as param. Both work.",
     inputSchema: {
       type: "object" as const,
       properties: {
@@ -937,6 +945,14 @@ export const TOOLS = [
           enum: ["standard", "quick", "autonomous"],
           description: "Type of close (standard requires full reflection)",
         },
+        closing_reflection: {
+          type: "object",
+          description: "Session reflection (alternative to writing closing-payload.json)",
+        },
+        human_corrections: {
+          type: "string",
+          description: "Human corrections or 'none'",
+        },
         linear_issue: {
           type: "string",
           description: "Associated Linear issue",
@@ -1605,7 +1621,7 @@ export const TOOLS = [
   },
   {
     name: "gm-close",
-    description: "gm-close (session_close) - Close a GitMem session. IMPORTANT: Write all heavy payload data (closing_reflection, task_completion, human_corrections, scars_to_record, open_threads, decisions, learnings_created) to {gitmem_dir}/closing-payload.json BEFORE calling this tool — gitmem_dir is from session_start. Only pass session_id and close_type inline. DISPLAY: The result includes a pre-formatted 'display' field. Output the display field verbatim as your response — tool results are collapsed in the CLI.",
+    description: "gm-close (session_close) - Close session. Pass closing_reflection directly or write to closing-payload.json first.",
     inputSchema: {
       type: "object" as const,
       properties: {
@@ -1618,6 +1634,14 @@ export const TOOLS = [
           enum: ["standard", "quick", "autonomous"],
           description: "Type of close (standard requires full reflection)",
         },
+        closing_reflection: {
+          type: "object",
+          description: "Session reflection (alternative to writing closing-payload.json)",
+        },
+        human_corrections: {
+          type: "string",
+          description: "Human corrections or 'none'",
+        },
         linear_issue: {
           type: "string",
           description: "Associated Linear issue",

src/tools/list-threads.ts

@@ -65,13 +65,15 @@ function buildThreadsDisplay(
   );
 
   // Markdown table — renders cleanly in all MCP clients
-  lines.push("| # | Thread | Active |");
-  lines.push("|---|--------|--------|");
+  // Show short thread ID so agents can reference threads by ID or #N position
+  lines.push("| # | ID | Thread | Active |");
+  lines.push("|---|-----|--------|--------|");
   for (let i = 0; i < sorted.length; i++) {
     const t = sorted[i];
-    const text = truncate(t.text, 60);
+    const text = truncate(t.text, 55);
     const date = shortDate(t.last_touched_at || t.created_at);
-    lines.push(`| ${i + 1} | ${text} | ${date} |`);
+    const shortId = t.id?.slice(0, 10) || "—";
+    lines.push(`| ${i + 1} | ${shortId} | ${text} | ${date} |`);
   }
 
   return wrapDisplay(lines.join("\n"));

src/tools/log.ts

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import type { Project, PerformanceBreakdown, PerformanceData } from "../types/in
 export interface LogParams {
   limit?: number;
   project?: Project;
-  learning_type?: "scar" | "win" | "pattern";
+  learning_type?: "scar" | "win" | "pattern" | "anti_pattern";
   severity?: "critical" | "high" | "medium" | "low";
   since?: number; // days to look back
 }

src/tools/recall.ts

@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ No past lessons match this plan closely enough. Scars accumulate as you work —
   ];
 
   if (allStarter) {
-    lines.push(`${dimText("This is your first recall — results will get more relevant as you add your own lessons from real experience.")}`);
+    lines.push(`${dimText("No project-specific lessons yet. Use create_learning to capture your first.")}`);
     lines.push("");
   }
 
@@ -185,7 +185,8 @@ No past lessons match this plan closely enough. Scars accumulate as you work —
   for (const scar of scars) {
     const sev = SEV[scar.severity] || "[?]";
 
-    lines.push(`${sev} **${scar.title}** (${scar.severity}, ${scar.similarity.toFixed(2)}) ${dimText(`id:${scar.id.slice(0, 8)}`)}`);
+    const starterTag = scar.is_starter ? ` ${dimText("[starter]")}` : "";
+    lines.push(`${sev} **${scar.title}** (${scar.severity}, ${scar.similarity.toFixed(2)}) ${dimText(`id:${scar.id.slice(0, 8)}`)}${starterTag}`);
 
     // Inline archival hint: scars with high dismiss rates get annotated
     if (dismissals) {

src/tools/resolve-thread.ts

@@ -62,10 +62,32 @@ export async function resolveThread(
   const session = getCurrentSession();
   const sessionId = session?.sessionId;
 
+  // Support positional #N references (e.g. "#3" resolves the 3rd thread in sorted order)
+  let effectiveThreadId = params.thread_id;
+  let effectiveTextMatch = params.text_match;
+  const posMatch = (params.thread_id || params.text_match || "").match(/^#(\d+)$/);
+  if (posMatch) {
+    const pos = parseInt(posMatch[1], 10);
+    const openThreads = threads
+      .filter(t => t.status === "open")
+      .sort((a, b) => a.created_at.localeCompare(b.created_at));
+    if (pos < 1 || pos > openThreads.length) {
+      const latencyMs = timer.stop();
+      return {
+        success: false,
+        error: `Thread #${pos} out of range (${openThreads.length} open threads)`,
+        performance: buildPerformanceData("resolve_thread", latencyMs, 0),
+        display: wrapDisplay(`Thread #${pos} out of range (${openThreads.length} open threads)`),
+      };
+    }
+    effectiveThreadId = openThreads[pos - 1].id;
+    effectiveTextMatch = undefined;
+  }
+
   // Resolve the thread locally (in-memory / file)
   const resolved = resolveThreadInList(threads, {
-    threadId: params.thread_id,
-    textMatch: params.text_match,
+    threadId: effectiveThreadId,
+    textMatch: effectiveTextMatch,
     sessionId,
     resolutionNote: params.resolution_note,
   });

src/tools/search.ts

@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ export interface SearchResultEntry {
   counter_arguments?: string[];
   similarity: number;
   source_linear_issue?: string;
+  is_starter?: boolean;
 }
 
 export interface SearchResult {
@@ -90,7 +91,8 @@ function buildSearchDisplay(
     const sim = `(${r.similarity.toFixed(2)})`;
     const issue = r.source_linear_issue ? `  ${r.source_linear_issue}` : "";
     lines.push(`${te} ${se} ${t.padEnd(52)} ${sim}${issue}`);
-    lines.push(`   ${truncate(r.description, 72)}  id:${r.id.slice(0, 8)}`);
+    const starterTag = r.is_starter ? ` ${dimText("[starter]")}` : "";
+    lines.push(`   ${truncate(r.description, 72)}  id:${r.id.slice(0, 8)}${starterTag}`);
   }
   lines.push("");
   lines.push(`${total_found} results found`);
@@ -137,6 +139,7 @@ export async function search(params: SearchParams): Promise<SearchResult> {
         description: r.description || "",
         counter_arguments: r.counter_arguments || [],
         similarity: r.similarity || 0,
+        is_starter: r.is_starter || undefined,
       }));
 
       // Also search decisions