refactor: enhance memory handling with read-only support

- Updated memory-related classes and methods to support read-only functionality, allowing for silent no-ops when attempting to remember data in read-only mode.
- Modified the LiteAgent and CrewAgentExecutorMixin classes to check for read-only status before saving memories.
- Adjusted MemorySlice and Memory classes to reflect changes in behavior when read-only is enabled.
- Updated tests to verify that memory operations behave correctly under read-only conditions.

lib/crewai/src/crewai/agents/agent_builder/base_agent_executor_mixin.py

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class CrewAgentExecutorMixin:
         memory = getattr(self.agent, "memory", None) or (
             getattr(self.crew, "_memory", None) if self.crew else None
         )
-        if memory is None or not self.task:
+        if memory is None or not self.task or getattr(memory, "_read_only", False):
             return
         if (
             f"Action: {sanitize_tool_name('Delegate work to coworker')}"

lib/crewai/src/crewai/lite_agent.py

@@ -599,8 +599,8 @@ class LiteAgent(FlowTrackable, BaseModel):
             )
 
     def _save_to_memory(self, output_text: str) -> None:
-        """Extract discrete memories from the run and remember each. No-op if _memory is None."""
-        if self._memory is None:
+        """Extract discrete memories from the run and remember each. No-op if _memory is None or read-only."""
+        if self._memory is None or getattr(self._memory, "_read_only", False):
             return
         input_str = self._get_last_user_content() or "User request"
         try:

lib/crewai/src/crewai/memory/memory_scope.py

@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ class MemoryScope:
 
 
 class MemorySlice:
-    """View over multiple scopes: recall searches all, remember requires explicit scope unless read_only."""
+    """View over multiple scopes: recall searches all, remember is a no-op when read_only."""
 
     def __init__(
         self,
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ class MemorySlice:
             memory: The underlying Memory instance.
             scopes: List of scope paths to include.
             categories: Optional category filter for recall.
-            read_only: If True, remember() raises PermissionError.
+            read_only: If True, remember() is a silent no-op.
         """
         self._memory = memory
         self._scopes = [s.rstrip("/") or "/" for s in scopes]
@@ -176,10 +176,10 @@ class MemorySlice:
         importance: float | None = None,
         source: str | None = None,
         private: bool = False,
-    ) -> MemoryRecord:
-        """Remember into an explicit scope. Required when read_only=False."""
+    ) -> MemoryRecord | None:
+        """Remember into an explicit scope. No-op when read_only=True."""
         if self._read_only:
-            raise PermissionError("This MemorySlice is read-only")
+            return None
         return self._memory.remember(
             content,
             scope=scope,

lib/crewai/src/crewai/memory/unified_memory.py

@@ -88,6 +88,10 @@ class Memory:
         # Queries shorter than this skip LLM analysis (saving ~1-3s).
         # Longer queries (full task descriptions) benefit from LLM distillation.
         query_analysis_threshold: int = 200,
+        # When True, all write operations (remember, remember_many) are silently
+        # skipped. Useful for sharing a read-only view of memory across agents
+        # without any of them persisting new memories.
+        read_only: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         """Initialize Memory.
 
@@ -107,7 +111,9 @@ class Memory:
             complex_query_threshold: For complex queries, explore deeper below this confidence.
             exploration_budget: Number of LLM-driven exploration rounds during deep recall.
             query_analysis_threshold: Queries shorter than this skip LLM analysis during deep recall.
+            read_only: If True, remember() and remember_many() are silent no-ops.
         """
+        self._read_only = read_only
         self._config = MemoryConfig(
             recency_weight=recency_weight,
             semantic_weight=semantic_weight,
@@ -335,11 +341,13 @@ class Memory:
             agent_role: Optional agent role for event metadata.
 
         Returns:
-            The created MemoryRecord.
+            The created MemoryRecord, or None if this memory is read-only.
 
         Raises:
             Exception: On save failure (events emitted).
         """
+        if self._read_only:
+            return None  # type: ignore[return-value]
         _source_type = "unified_memory"
         try:
             crewai_event_bus.emit(
@@ -420,7 +428,7 @@ class Memory:
         Returns:
             Empty list (records are not available until the background save completes).
         """
-        if not contents:
+        if not contents or self._read_only:
             return []
 
         self._submit_save(

lib/crewai/src/crewai/tools/memory_tools.py

@@ -104,20 +104,28 @@ class RememberTool(BaseTool):
 def create_memory_tools(memory: Any) -> list[BaseTool]:
     """Create Recall and Remember tools for the given memory instance.
 
+    When memory is read-only (``_read_only=True``), only the RecallMemoryTool
+    is returned — the RememberTool is omitted so agents are never offered a
+    save capability they cannot use.
+
     Args:
         memory: A Memory, MemoryScope, or MemorySlice instance.
 
     Returns:
-        List containing a RecallMemoryTool and a RememberTool.
+        List containing a RecallMemoryTool and, if not read-only, a RememberTool.
     """
     i18n = get_i18n()
-    return [
+    tools: list[BaseTool] = [
         RecallMemoryTool(
             memory=memory,
             description=i18n.tools("recall_memory"),
         ),
-        RememberTool(
-            memory=memory,
-            description=i18n.tools("save_to_memory"),
-        ),
     ]
+    if not getattr(memory, "_read_only", False):
+        tools.append(
+            RememberTool(
+                memory=memory,
+                description=i18n.tools("save_to_memory"),
+            )
+        )
+    return tools

lib/crewai/tests/memory/test_unified_memory.py

@@ -218,14 +218,15 @@ def test_memory_slice_recall(tmp_path: Path, mock_embedder: MagicMock) -> None:
     assert isinstance(matches, list)
 
 
-def test_memory_slice_remember_raises_when_read_only(tmp_path: Path, mock_embedder: MagicMock) -> None:
+def test_memory_slice_remember_is_noop_when_read_only(tmp_path: Path, mock_embedder: MagicMock) -> None:
     from crewai.memory.unified_memory import Memory
     from crewai.memory.memory_scope import MemorySlice
 
     mem = Memory(storage=str(tmp_path / "db7"), llm=MagicMock(), embedder=mock_embedder)
     sl = MemorySlice(mem, ["/a"], read_only=True)
-    with pytest.raises(PermissionError):
-        sl.remember("x", scope="/a")
+    result = sl.remember("x", scope="/a")
+    assert result is None
+    assert mem.list_records() == []
 
 
 # --- Flow memory ---