Strategic Compact
Intelligent context management that suggests compaction at optimal moments.
Core Principle
Manual compaction at strategic points > Auto-compaction at arbitrary points
Auto-compact triggers at context limits, often mid-task. Strategic compaction preserves context through logical phases and compacts at natural transition points.
When to Suggest Compaction
Optimal Compaction Points
| Trigger | Reason |
|---|---|
| Exploration complete, implementation starting | Exploration context rarely needed for coding |
| Milestone completed | Clean slate for next phase |
| Plan finalized and documented | Plan captured, context can reset |
| Debug session resolved | Debug traces clutter future work |
| Switching to unrelated task | Previous context not relevant |
| 50+ tool calls in session | Accumulated context likely stale |
Avoid Compaction During
| Scenario | Why |
|---|---|
| Mid-implementation | Loses code context and decisions |
| Active debugging | Loses diagnostic information |
| Incomplete task | May need earlier context |
| Code review in progress | Loses review thread |
Compaction Options
/compact (Quick)
- Built-in summarization
- Frees context immediately
- May lose some nuance
/handoff (Recommended for complex work)
Creates HANDOFF.md with:
- Current goal and progress
- What worked / what didn't
- Next steps
- Key decisions made
Then start fresh with: > HANDOFF.md
/clear (Fresh start)
- Complete reset
- Best when switching tasks entirely
Phase Detection Patterns
Detect phase transitions by monitoring:
EXPLORATION → IMPLEMENTATION
- Many Read/Grep/Glob calls → Edit/Write calls starting
- Questions answered → Code being written
IMPLEMENTATION → TESTING
- Edit/Write heavy → Bash(test) calls
- Feature code done → Verification starting
DEBUGGING → RESOLUTION
- Error investigation → Fix confirmed working
- Multiple attempts → Success achieved
Automatic Behavior
This skill works with hooks that:
- Track tool usage - Counts tool calls per session
- Detect phase transitions - Monitors tool patterns
- Inject suggestions - Adds context-aware recommendations
Usage Patterns
After Exploration
[Hook detects: 30+ Read/Grep calls, first Edit coming]
→ Suggest: "Exploration complete. Consider /compact before implementation."
After Milestone
[Hook detects: Tests passing after implementation]
→ Suggest: "Milestone reached. Good time for /compact or /handoff."
Context Threshold
[Hook detects: 50 tool calls reached]
→ Suggest: "Session has 50+ tool calls. Consider /compact if context feels stale."
Integration
Works automatically via plugin hooks. No manual configuration needed.
The hooks:
- Run on PreToolUse to track and suggest
- Run on PreCompact to add custom instructions
- Provide non-blocking suggestions via stderr