revert: remove CUSTOM strategy and semanticOverride support (#713)

* Revert "feat: add semanticOverride support for SEMANTIC memory strategies (#678) (#696)"

This reverts commit 5e0f584.

* Revert "feat(memory): add CUSTOM strategy type to agentcore-cli (#677) (#694)"

This reverts commit beac707.

* fix: restore EPISODIC strategy to configuration.md

The revert of the CUSTOM strategy commit inadvertently removed the
EPISODIC row from the Memory Strategies table in configuration.md.

Author: aidandaly24

docs/commands.md

@@ -225,12 +225,12 @@ agentcore add memory \
   --expiry 30
 ```
 
-| Flag                   | Description                                                                           |
-| ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `--name <name>`        | Memory name                                                                           |
-| `--strategies <types>` | Comma-separated: `SEMANTIC`, `SUMMARIZATION`, `USER_PREFERENCE`, `EPISODIC`, `CUSTOM` |
-| `--expiry <days>`      | Event expiry duration in days (default: 30, min: 7, max: 365)                         |
-| `--json`               | JSON output                                                                           |
+| Flag                   | Description                                                                 |
+| ---------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `--name <name>`        | Memory name                                                                 |
+| `--strategies <types>` | Comma-separated: `SEMANTIC`, `SUMMARIZATION`, `USER_PREFERENCE`, `EPISODIC` |
+| `--expiry <days>`      | Event expiry duration in days (default: 30, min: 7, max: 365)               |
+| `--json`               | JSON output                                                                 |
 
 ### add gateway
 

docs/configuration.md

@@ -239,13 +239,12 @@ on the next deployment.
 
 ### Memory Strategies
 
-| Strategy          | Description                                                 |
-| ----------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `SEMANTIC`        | Vector-based similarity search for relevant context         |
-| `SUMMARIZATION`   | Compressed conversation history                             |
-| `USER_PREFERENCE` | Store user-specific preferences and settings                |
-| `EPISODIC`        | Capture and reflect on meaningful interaction episodes      |
-| `CUSTOM`          | Self-managed strategy with user-controlled extraction logic |
+| Strategy          | Description                                            |
+| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
+| `SEMANTIC`        | Vector-based similarity search for relevant context    |
+| `SUMMARIZATION`   | Compressed conversation history                        |
+| `USER_PREFERENCE` | Store user-specific preferences and settings           |
+| `EPISODIC`        | Capture and reflect on meaningful interaction episodes |
 
 Strategy configuration:
 

docs/memory.md

@@ -168,13 +168,12 @@ conversations, enabling cross-session recall via semantic search.
 
 ## Memory Strategies
 
-| Strategy          | Description                                                 |
-| ----------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `SEMANTIC`        | Vector-based similarity search for relevant context         |
-| `SUMMARIZATION`   | Compressed conversation history                             |
-| `USER_PREFERENCE` | Store user-specific preferences and settings                |
-| `EPISODIC`        | Capture and reflect on meaningful interaction episodes      |
-| `CUSTOM`          | Self-managed strategy with user-controlled extraction logic |
+| Strategy          | Description                                            |
+| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
+| `SEMANTIC`        | Vector-based similarity search for relevant context    |
+| `SUMMARIZATION`   | Compressed conversation history                        |
+| `USER_PREFERENCE` | Store user-specific preferences and settings           |
+| `EPISODIC`        | Capture and reflect on meaningful interaction episodes |
 
 You can combine multiple strategies:
 
@@ -189,36 +188,6 @@ You can combine multiple strategies:
 }
 ```
 
-### Self-Managed (Custom) Strategy
-
-The `CUSTOM` strategy lets you control memory extraction logic externally rather than relying on built-in
-implementations. This is useful when you need specialized extraction pipelines or want to integrate with your own
-processing infrastructure.
-
-**Prerequisites:** CUSTOM strategies require user-managed extraction logic and are not functional without it. You must
-implement your own extraction mechanism (e.g., via AWS Lambda).
-
-**Key characteristics:**
-
-- No default namespaces are assigned — you provide your own or omit them
-- Each memory supports at most one CUSTOM strategy
-- You are responsible for implementing the extraction logic that processes memory events
-
-```json
-{
-  "type": "AgentCoreMemory",
-  "name": "MyMemory",
-  "eventExpiryDuration": 30,
-  "strategies": [
-    {
-      "type": "CUSTOM",
-      "name": "my_custom_strategy",
-      "description": "Custom extraction logic"
-    }
-  ]
-}
-```
-
 ### Strategy Options
 
 Each strategy can have optional configuration:

src/assets/__tests__/__snapshots__/assets.snapshot.test.ts.snap

@@ -1696,11 +1696,6 @@ def get_memory_session_manager(session_id: str, actor_id: str) -> Optional[Agent
 {{/if}}
 {{#if (includes memoryProviders.[0].strategies "SUMMARIZATION")}}
         f"/summaries/{actor_id}/{session_id}": RetrievalConfig(top_k=3, relevance_score=0.5),
-{{/if}}
-{{#if (includes memoryProviders.[0].strategies "CUSTOM")}}
-        # TODO: Add your custom namespace and retrieval config.
-        # Custom strategies use user-controlled extraction logic.
-        # Example: f"/custom/{actor_id}/data": RetrievalConfig(top_k=3, relevance_score=0.5),
 {{/if}}
     }
 {{/if}}
@@ -3662,11 +3657,6 @@ def get_memory_session_manager(session_id: str, actor_id: str) -> Optional[Agent
 {{/if}}
 {{#if (includes memoryProviders.[0].strategies "SUMMARIZATION")}}
         f"/summaries/{actor_id}/{session_id}": RetrievalConfig(top_k=3, relevance_score=0.5),
-{{/if}}
-{{#if (includes memoryProviders.[0].strategies "CUSTOM")}}
-        # TODO: Add your custom namespace and retrieval config.
-        # Custom strategies use user-controlled extraction logic.
-        # Example: f"/custom/{actor_id}/data": RetrievalConfig(top_k=3, relevance_score=0.5),
 {{/if}}
     }
 {{/if}}
@@ -4010,7 +4000,7 @@ file maps to a JSON config file and includes validation constraints as comments.
 - **BuildType**: \`'CodeZip'\` | \`'Container'\`
 - **NetworkMode**: \`'PUBLIC'\`
 - **RuntimeVersion**: \`'PYTHON_3_10'\` | \`'PYTHON_3_11'\` | \`'PYTHON_3_12'\` | \`'PYTHON_3_13'\`
-- **MemoryStrategyType**: \`'SEMANTIC'\` | \`'SUMMARIZATION'\` | \`'USER_PREFERENCE'\` | \`'EPISODIC'\` | \`'CUSTOM'\`
+- **MemoryStrategyType**: \`'SEMANTIC'\` | \`'SUMMARIZATION'\` | \`'USER_PREFERENCE'\` | \`'EPISODIC'\`
 
 ### Build Types
 

src/assets/agents/AGENTS.md

@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ file maps to a JSON config file and includes validation constraints as comments.
 - **BuildType**: `'CodeZip'` | `'Container'`
 - **NetworkMode**: `'PUBLIC'`
 - **RuntimeVersion**: `'PYTHON_3_10'` | `'PYTHON_3_11'` | `'PYTHON_3_12'` | `'PYTHON_3_13'`
-- **MemoryStrategyType**: `'SEMANTIC'` | `'SUMMARIZATION'` | `'USER_PREFERENCE'` | `'EPISODIC'` | `'CUSTOM'`
+- **MemoryStrategyType**: `'SEMANTIC'` | `'SUMMARIZATION'` | `'USER_PREFERENCE'` | `'EPISODIC'`
 
 ### Build Types
 

src/assets/python/a2a/strands/capabilities/memory/session.py

@@ -21,11 +21,6 @@ def get_memory_session_manager(session_id: str, actor_id: str) -> Optional[Agent
 {{/if}}
 {{#if (includes memoryProviders.[0].strategies "SUMMARIZATION")}}
         f"/summaries/{actor_id}/{session_id}": RetrievalConfig(top_k=3, relevance_score=0.5),
-{{/if}}
-{{#if (includes memoryProviders.[0].strategies "CUSTOM")}}
-        # TODO: Add your custom namespace and retrieval config.
-        # Custom strategies use user-controlled extraction logic.
-        # Example: f"/custom/{actor_id}/data": RetrievalConfig(top_k=3, relevance_score=0.5),
 {{/if}}
     }
 {{/if}}

src/assets/python/http/strands/capabilities/memory/session.py

@@ -21,11 +21,6 @@ def get_memory_session_manager(session_id: str, actor_id: str) -> Optional[Agent
 {{/if}}
 {{#if (includes memoryProviders.[0].strategies "SUMMARIZATION")}}
         f"/summaries/{actor_id}/{session_id}": RetrievalConfig(top_k=3, relevance_score=0.5),
-{{/if}}
-{{#if (includes memoryProviders.[0].strategies "CUSTOM")}}
-        # TODO: Add your custom namespace and retrieval config.
-        # Custom strategies use user-controlled extraction logic.
-        # Example: f"/custom/{actor_id}/data": RetrievalConfig(top_k=3, relevance_score=0.5),
 {{/if}}
     }
 {{/if}}

src/cli/commands/add/__tests__/add-memory.test.ts

@@ -51,17 +51,16 @@ describe('add memory command', () => {
       expect(json.error.includes('INVALID'), `Error: ${json.error}`).toBeTruthy();
     });
 
-    // Issue #677: CUSTOM strategy is now supported
-    it('creates memory with CUSTOM strategy', async () => {
-      const memoryName = `memCustom${Date.now()}`;
+    // Issue #235: CUSTOM strategy has been removed
+    it('rejects CUSTOM strategy', async () => {
       const result = await runCLI(
-        ['add', 'memory', '--name', memoryName, '--strategies', 'CUSTOM', '--json'],
+        ['add', 'memory', '--name', 'testCustom', '--strategies', 'CUSTOM', '--json'],
         projectDir
       );
-      expect(result.exitCode, `stdout: ${result.stdout}, stderr: ${result.stderr}`).toBe(0);
+      expect(result.exitCode).toBe(1);
       const json = JSON.parse(result.stdout);
-      expect(json.success).toBe(true);
-      expect(json.memoryName).toBe(memoryName);
+      expect(json.success).toBe(false);
+      expect(json.error.includes('CUSTOM'), `Error: ${json.error}`).toBeTruthy();
     });
   });
 

src/cli/commands/add/__tests__/validate.test.ts

@@ -953,15 +953,17 @@ describe('validate', () => {
       ).toEqual({ valid: true });
     });
 
-    // Issue #677: CUSTOM strategy is now supported
-    it('accepts CUSTOM strategy', () => {
+    // AC23: CUSTOM strategy is not supported (Issue #235)
+    it('rejects CUSTOM strategy', () => {
       const result = validateAddMemoryOptions({ ...validMemoryOptions, strategies: 'CUSTOM' });
-      expect(result.valid).toBe(true);
+      expect(result.valid).toBe(false);
+      expect(result.error).toContain('Invalid strategy: CUSTOM');
     });
 
-    it('accepts CUSTOM mixed with other strategies', () => {
+    it('rejects CUSTOM even when mixed with valid strategies', () => {
       const result = validateAddMemoryOptions({ ...validMemoryOptions, strategies: 'SEMANTIC,CUSTOM' });
-      expect(result.valid).toBe(true);
+      expect(result.valid).toBe(false);
+      expect(result.error).toContain('Invalid strategy: CUSTOM');
     });
 
     // AC24: Each individual valid strategy should pass

src/cli/commands/add/validate.ts

@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import {
   BuildTypeSchema,
   GatewayExceptionLevelSchema,
   GatewayNameSchema,
-  MemoryStrategyTypeSchema,
   ModelProviderSchema,
   ProtocolModeSchema,
   RuntimeAuthorizerTypeSchema,
@@ -34,8 +33,8 @@ export interface ValidationResult {
 }
 
 // Constants
-const MEMORY_OPTIONS = ['none', 'shortTerm', 'longAndShortTerm', 'custom'] as const;
-const VALID_STRATEGIES: readonly string[] = MemoryStrategyTypeSchema.options;
+const MEMORY_OPTIONS = ['none', 'shortTerm', 'longAndShortTerm'] as const;
+const VALID_STRATEGIES = ['SEMANTIC', 'SUMMARIZATION', 'USER_PREFERENCE', 'EPISODIC'];
 
 /**
  * Validate that a credential name exists in the project spec.
@@ -135,7 +134,7 @@ export function validateAddAgentOptions(options: AddAgentOptions): ValidationRes
     if (!MEMORY_OPTIONS.includes(options.memory as (typeof MEMORY_OPTIONS)[number])) {
       return {
         valid: false,
-        error: `Invalid memory option: ${options.memory}. Use none, shortTerm, longAndShortTerm, or custom`,
+        error: `Invalid memory option: ${options.memory}. Use none, shortTerm, or longAndShortTerm`,
       };
     }
     // Parse and validate lifecycle configuration for import path
@@ -243,7 +242,7 @@ export function validateAddAgentOptions(options: AddAgentOptions): ValidationRes
     if (!MEMORY_OPTIONS.includes(options.memory as (typeof MEMORY_OPTIONS)[number])) {
       return {
         valid: false,
-        error: `Invalid memory option: ${options.memory}. Use none, shortTerm, longAndShortTerm, or custom`,
+        error: `Invalid memory option: ${options.memory}. Use none, shortTerm, or longAndShortTerm`,
       };
     }
   }