104 lines
3.9 KiB
Markdown
104 lines
3.9 KiB
Markdown
---
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name: strategic-compact
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description: Suggests manual context compaction at logical intervals to preserve context through task phases rather than arbitrary auto-compaction.
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origin: ECC
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---
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# Strategic Compact Skill
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Suggests manual `/compact` at strategic points in your workflow rather than relying on arbitrary auto-compaction.
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## When to Activate
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- Running long sessions that approach context limits (200K+ tokens)
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- Working on multi-phase tasks (research → plan → implement → test)
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- Switching between unrelated tasks within the same session
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- After completing a major milestone and starting new work
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- When responses slow down or become less coherent (context pressure)
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## Why Strategic Compaction?
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Auto-compaction triggers at arbitrary points:
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- Often mid-task, losing important context
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- No awareness of logical task boundaries
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- Can interrupt complex multi-step operations
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Strategic compaction at logical boundaries:
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- **After exploration, before execution** — Compact research context, keep implementation plan
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- **After completing a milestone** — Fresh start for next phase
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- **Before major context shifts** — Clear exploration context before different task
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## How It Works
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The `suggest-compact.js` script runs on PreToolUse (Edit/Write) and:
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1. **Tracks tool calls** — Counts tool invocations in session
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2. **Threshold detection** — Suggests at configurable threshold (default: 50 calls)
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3. **Periodic reminders** — Reminds every 25 calls after threshold
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## Hook Setup
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Add to your `~/.claude/settings.json`:
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```json
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{
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"hooks": {
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"PreToolUse": [
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{
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"matcher": "Edit",
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"hooks": [{ "type": "command", "command": "node ~/.claude/skills/strategic-compact/suggest-compact.js" }]
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},
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{
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"matcher": "Write",
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"hooks": [{ "type": "command", "command": "node ~/.claude/skills/strategic-compact/suggest-compact.js" }]
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}
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]
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}
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}
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```
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## Configuration
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Environment variables:
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- `COMPACT_THRESHOLD` — Tool calls before first suggestion (default: 50)
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## Compaction Decision Guide
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Use this table to decide when to compact:
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| Phase Transition | Compact? | Why |
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|-----------------|----------|-----|
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| Research → Planning | Yes | Research context is bulky; plan is the distilled output |
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| Planning → Implementation | Yes | Plan is in TodoWrite or a file; free up context for code |
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| Implementation → Testing | Maybe | Keep if tests reference recent code; compact if switching focus |
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| Debugging → Next feature | Yes | Debug traces pollute context for unrelated work |
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| Mid-implementation | No | Losing variable names, file paths, and partial state is costly |
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| After a failed approach | Yes | Clear the dead-end reasoning before trying a new approach |
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## What Survives Compaction
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Understanding what persists helps you compact with confidence:
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| Persists | Lost |
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|----------|------|
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| CLAUDE.md instructions | Intermediate reasoning and analysis |
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| TodoWrite task list | File contents you previously read |
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| Memory files (`~/.claude/memory/`) | Multi-step conversation context |
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| Git state (commits, branches) | Tool call history and counts |
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| Files on disk | Nuanced user preferences stated verbally |
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## Best Practices
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1. **Compact after planning** — Once plan is finalized in TodoWrite, compact to start fresh
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2. **Compact after debugging** — Clear error-resolution context before continuing
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3. **Don't compact mid-implementation** — Preserve context for related changes
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4. **Read the suggestion** — The hook tells you *when*, you decide *if*
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5. **Write before compacting** — Save important context to files or memory before compacting
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6. **Use `/compact` with a summary** — Add a custom message: `/compact Focus on implementing auth middleware next`
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## Related
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- [The Longform Guide](https://x.com/affaanmustafa/status/2014040193557471352) — Token optimization section
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- Memory persistence hooks — For state that survives compaction
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- `continuous-learning` skill — Extracts patterns before session ends
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