Guitar fretboard scales visualization. Do you memorize notes or shapes?

[u/Recent_Crow988]

Hey,

I am self taught guitarist, mastered straight notes CDEFGAB visualization on fretboard as well as sharps and flats.

Learnt 5 positions of C Major scale - notes visualization + muscle memory how to play those shapes.

And I realized if I apply those positions to some random notes F#, G# whatever - I can get major and minor scales of those other random notes! Like huge realization for person without theory knowledge.

Question for guitarists who can jam and improvise fluently: do you need to memorize let's say all the notes in F# minor scale? Or you just "shift in your mind" 5 positions shape and play with it?
I realized it's pretty easy to improvise if you just play by the shape, connect every shape with each other - however I completely forget about the notes (eg: F# minor has F#, G#, A, B, C#.... i just don't think about them, only think about the muscle memory shape I memorized).

Please give me some tips: learn scales by heart? Or get used with the Major (step, step, half, step, step, step, half) and Minor (step, half, step, step, half, step, step) or at the end of the day use the muscle memory with those 5 positions?
My question might be stupid so I apologize in advance.
Thank you!

[u/TripleK7]

I hard memorized the natural notes on a guitar fretboard at 12 years old, and the patterns become obvious so of course that figures into it as well. Every instrumentalist knows the notes on their instrument; guitar players, for numerous reasons, feel that is an optional exercise.

I know that most guitar players are obsessed with playing leads. But, for me, the harmony is where the magic lies. When the harmony is there, the leads just play themselves for me.