Need ability to disable auto-memory (MEMORY.md)

Problem

Claude Code's auto-memory system (~/.claude/projects/*/memory/MEMORY.md) cannot be disabled. There is no setting, flag, or configuration option to turn it off.

Why this is a problem

For users who manage their own context systems, auto-memory is actively harmful:

1. Shadow state - It creates a parallel memory system outside the user's control. The user can't easily view, audit, or understand what's been stored.

1. Not git-tracked - MEMORY.md lives in ~/.claude/projects/ which is outside the repo. It can't be committed, reviewed in PRs, or versioned alongside the codebase. This is a significant regression from keeping context in repo-local files like CLAUDE.md.

1. Not portable across CLIs - Users who work with multiple AI CLIs (Claude, Gemini, Codex) and maintain shared instruction files (e.g. AGENTS.md symlinked to CLAUDE.md / GEMINI.md) have no way to share auto-memory. It's a Claude-only silo.

1. Context bloat - Auto-memory consumes context window tokens on every conversation. For users who already have well-structured CLAUDE.md and skill files, this is redundant context that displaces useful working memory.

1. No opt-out - The system prompt includes "You have a persistent auto memory directory at..." with instructions to use it. There is no setting to suppress this. Even deleting the files doesn't prevent Claude from recreating them.

Requested solution

A setting to disable auto-memory entirely, e.g.:

// ~/.claude/settings.json
{
  "autoMemory": false
}

Or at project level:

// .claude/settings.json
{
  "autoMemory": false
}

When disabled:

• The auto-memory system prompt injection should be suppressed
• Claude should not read from or write to the memory directory
• No memory files should be created

Workaround attempts

• Deleting ~/.claude/projects/*/memory/ - files get recreated
• Adding "do not use auto-memory" to CLAUDE.md - unreliable, competes with system prompt
• There is no settings.json key that controls this

Environment

• Claude Code CLI (latest)
• macOS