diff --git a/pkg/memory/vault.go b/pkg/memory/vault.go
index 5e5ca01a8..33a3f4632 100644
--- a/pkg/memory/vault.go
+++ b/pkg/memory/vault.go
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 package memory
 
-import "strings"
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"sort"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+)
 
 // NoteMeta represents parsed frontmatter metadata from a single markdown note.
 type NoteMeta struct {
@@ -93,6 +100,131 @@ func parseBracketList(s string) []string {
 	return result
 }
 
+// ScanAll walks the memory directory recursively and returns metadata for all
+// markdown notes. It skips _index.md and non-.md files. Notes without
+// frontmatter get their title inferred from the filename.
+func (v *Vault) ScanAll() ([]NoteMeta, error) {
+	var notes []NoteMeta
+	err := filepath.WalkDir(v.memoryDir, func(path string, d os.DirEntry, err error) error {
+		if err != nil || d.IsDir() {
+			return err
+		}
+		if !strings.HasSuffix(path, ".md") {
+			return nil
+		}
+		rel, _ := filepath.Rel(v.memoryDir, path)
+		rel = filepath.ToSlash(rel)
+		if rel == "_index.md" {
+			return nil
+		}
+		content, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil // skip unreadable files
+		}
+		meta, body := ParseFrontmatter(string(content))
+		meta.RelPath = rel
+		meta.Links = ExtractWikilinks(body)
+		if meta.Title == "" {
+			base := filepath.Base(rel)
+			meta.Title = strings.TrimSuffix(base, ".md")
+		}
+		notes = append(notes, meta)
+		return nil
+	})
+	return notes, err
+}
+
+// RebuildIndex performs a full scan of all notes and regenerates _index.md.
+func (v *Vault) RebuildIndex() error {
+	notes, err := v.ScanAll()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return v.writeIndex(notes)
+}
+
+// ReadIndex reads and returns the current _index.md content.
+// Returns an empty string if the index file does not exist.
+func (v *Vault) ReadIndex() string {
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(v.memoryDir, "_index.md"))
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return string(data)
+}
+
+// writeIndex generates _index.md from the given notes list.
+func (v *Vault) writeIndex(notes []NoteMeta) error {
+	// Sort notes by updated date (newest first), then by title
+	sort.Slice(notes, func(i, j int) bool {
+		if notes[i].Updated != notes[j].Updated {
+			return notes[i].Updated > notes[j].Updated
+		}
+		return notes[i].Title < notes[j].Title
+	})
+
+	// Collect unique tags and count
+	tagNotes := make(map[string][]string) // tag -> list of paths
+	for _, n := range notes {
+		for _, tag := range n.Tags {
+			tagNotes[tag] = append(tagNotes[tag], n.RelPath)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Collect aliases
+	type aliasEntry struct {
+		alias string
+		path  string
+	}
+	var aliases []aliasEntry
+	for _, n := range notes {
+		for _, a := range n.Aliases {
+			aliases = append(aliases, aliasEntry{alias: a, path: n.RelPath})
+		}
+	}
+
+	var sb strings.Builder
+	sb.WriteString("# Memory Vault Index\n")
+	sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("<!-- Auto-generated. Do not edit manually. -->\n"))
+	sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("<!-- Last rebuilt: %s -->\n", time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339)))
+	sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("<!-- Notes: %d | Tags: %d -->\n", len(notes), len(tagNotes)))
+
+	// Notes table
+	sb.WriteString("\n## Notes\n\n")
+	sb.WriteString("| Title | Path | Tags | Updated |\n")
+	sb.WriteString("|-------|------|------|----------|\n")
+	for _, n := range notes {
+		tags := strings.Join(n.Tags, ", ")
+		sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("| %s | %s | %s | %s |\n", n.Title, n.RelPath, tags, n.Updated))
+	}
+
+	// Tags section
+	sb.WriteString("\n## Tags\n\n")
+	sortedTags := make([]string, 0, len(tagNotes))
+	for tag := range tagNotes {
+		sortedTags = append(sortedTags, tag)
+	}
+	sort.Strings(sortedTags)
+	for _, tag := range sortedTags {
+		paths := tagNotes[tag]
+		sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("- **%s** (%d): %s\n", tag, len(paths), strings.Join(paths, ", ")))
+	}
+
+	// Aliases section
+	if len(aliases) > 0 {
+		sb.WriteString("\n## Aliases\n\n")
+		sort.Slice(aliases, func(i, j int) bool {
+			return aliases[i].alias < aliases[j].alias
+		})
+		for _, a := range aliases {
+			sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("- %s -> %s\n", a.alias, a.path))
+		}
+	}
+
+	indexPath := filepath.Join(v.memoryDir, "_index.md")
+	return os.WriteFile(indexPath, []byte(sb.String()), 0o644)
+}
+
 // ExtractWikilinks finds all [[target]] references in body text.
 // Returns a slice of link targets with the brackets stripped.
 func ExtractWikilinks(body string) []string {
diff --git a/pkg/memory/vault_test.go b/pkg/memory/vault_test.go
index 60a70450e..7f226a8a1 100644
--- a/pkg/memory/vault_test.go
+++ b/pkg/memory/vault_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 package memory
 
 import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 )
 
@@ -189,8 +192,210 @@ func TestExtractWikilinks_Adjacent(t *testing.T) {
 	assertStringSlice(t, "links", links, []string{"one", "two"})
 }
 
+// --- ScanAll tests ---
+
+func TestScanAll_MultipleNotes(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+
+	// Note with frontmatter in a subfolder
+	writeTestFile(t, dir, "topics/go-errors.md", `---
+title: Go Error Patterns
+created: 2026-02-20
+updated: 2026-02-23
+tags: [go, errors]
+aliases: [error-handling]
+---
+
+Content about Go errors. See [[testing-guide]].`)
+
+	// Note without frontmatter at root
+	writeTestFile(t, dir, "quick-note.md", "# Quick Note\n\nJust some text.")
+
+	// Daily note
+	writeTestFile(t, dir, "202602/20260223.md", `---
+title: 2026-02-23
+created: 2026-02-23
+updated: 2026-02-23
+tags: [daily]
+---
+
+Today's notes.`)
+
+	// _index.md should be skipped
+	writeTestFile(t, dir, "_index.md", "# Index\nShould be skipped.")
+
+	// Non-md file should be skipped
+	writeTestFile(t, dir, "notes.txt", "Not a markdown file.")
+
+	vault := NewVault(dir)
+	notes, err := vault.ScanAll()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ScanAll error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if len(notes) != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("got %d notes, want 3", len(notes))
+	}
+
+	// Find the go-errors note and verify metadata
+	var goErrors *NoteMeta
+	for i := range notes {
+		if strings.Contains(notes[i].RelPath, "go-errors") {
+			goErrors = &notes[i]
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	if goErrors == nil {
+		t.Fatal("go-errors note not found in scan results")
+	}
+	if goErrors.Title != "Go Error Patterns" {
+		t.Errorf("Title = %q, want %q", goErrors.Title, "Go Error Patterns")
+	}
+	assertStringSlice(t, "Tags", goErrors.Tags, []string{"go", "errors"})
+	assertStringSlice(t, "Links", goErrors.Links, []string{"testing-guide"})
+
+	// Note without frontmatter should use filename as title
+	var quickNote *NoteMeta
+	for i := range notes {
+		if strings.Contains(notes[i].RelPath, "quick-note") {
+			quickNote = &notes[i]
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	if quickNote == nil {
+		t.Fatal("quick-note not found in scan results")
+	}
+	if quickNote.Title != "quick-note" {
+		t.Errorf("Title = %q, want %q (inferred from filename)", quickNote.Title, "quick-note")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestScanAll_EmptyDir(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	vault := NewVault(dir)
+	notes, err := vault.ScanAll()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ScanAll error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(notes) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("got %d notes, want 0", len(notes))
+	}
+}
+
+// --- RebuildIndex tests ---
+
+func TestRebuildIndex(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+
+	writeTestFile(t, dir, "go-patterns.md", `---
+title: Go Patterns
+created: 2026-02-20
+updated: 2026-02-23
+tags: [go, patterns]
+aliases: [golang-patterns]
+---
+
+Go patterns content.`)
+
+	writeTestFile(t, dir, "hardware.md", `---
+title: Hardware Setup
+created: 2026-02-18
+updated: 2026-02-22
+tags: [hardware, setup]
+---
+
+Hardware content.`)
+
+	vault := NewVault(dir)
+	err := vault.RebuildIndex()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("RebuildIndex error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Verify _index.md was created
+	indexPath := filepath.Join(dir, "_index.md")
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(indexPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to read _index.md: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	index := string(data)
+
+	// Check structure
+	if !strings.Contains(index, "# Memory Vault Index") {
+		t.Error("Index missing header")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(index, "Auto-generated") {
+		t.Error("Index missing auto-generated comment")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(index, "## Notes") {
+		t.Error("Index missing Notes section")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(index, "## Tags") {
+		t.Error("Index missing Tags section")
+	}
+
+	// Check note entries
+	if !strings.Contains(index, "Go Patterns") {
+		t.Error("Index missing Go Patterns entry")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(index, "Hardware Setup") {
+		t.Error("Index missing Hardware Setup entry")
+	}
+
+	// Check tags
+	if !strings.Contains(index, "**go**") {
+		t.Error("Index missing 'go' tag")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(index, "**hardware**") {
+		t.Error("Index missing 'hardware' tag")
+	}
+
+	// Check aliases
+	if !strings.Contains(index, "## Aliases") {
+		t.Error("Index missing Aliases section")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(index, "golang-patterns") {
+		t.Error("Index missing golang-patterns alias")
+	}
+}
+
+// --- ReadIndex tests ---
+
+func TestReadIndex_Exists(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	indexContent := "# Memory Vault Index\n\nSome index content."
+	writeTestFile(t, dir, "_index.md", indexContent)
+
+	vault := NewVault(dir)
+	got := vault.ReadIndex()
+	if got != indexContent {
+		t.Errorf("ReadIndex = %q, want %q", got, indexContent)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestReadIndex_Missing(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	vault := NewVault(dir)
+	got := vault.ReadIndex()
+	if got != "" {
+		t.Errorf("ReadIndex = %q, want empty for missing index", got)
+	}
+}
+
 // --- Test helpers ---
 
+func writeTestFile(t *testing.T, dir, relPath, content string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	fullPath := filepath.Join(dir, filepath.FromSlash(relPath))
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(fullPath), 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to create dir for %s: %v", relPath, err)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(fullPath, []byte(content), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to write %s: %v", relPath, err)
+	}
+}
+
 func assertStringSlice(t *testing.T, name string, got, want []string) {
 	t.Helper()
 	if len(got) != len(want) {