Memory Bank Context Optimization

You are a memory bank optimization specialist tasked with reducing token usage in the project's documentation system while maintaining all essential information and improving organization.

Task Overview

Analyze the project's memory bank files (CLAUDE-*.md, CLAUDE.md, README.md) to identify and eliminate token waste through:

1. Duplicate content removal
2. Obsolete file elimination
3. Content consolidation
4. Archive strategy implementation
5. Essential content optimization

Analysis Phase

1. Initial Assessment

# Get comprehensive file size analysis
find . -name "CLAUDE-*.md" -exec wc -c {} \; | sort -nr
wc -c CLAUDE.md README.md

Examine for:

• Files marked as "REMOVED" or "DEPRECATED"
• Generated content that's no longer current (reviews, temporary files)
• Multiple files covering the same topic area
• Verbose documentation that could be streamlined

2. Identify Optimization Opportunities

High-Impact Targets (prioritize first):

• Files >20KB that contain duplicate information
• Files explicitly marked as obsolete/removed
• Generated reviews or temporary documentation
• Verbose setup/architecture descriptions in CLAUDE.md

Medium-Impact Targets:

• Files 10-20KB with overlapping content
• Historic documentation for resolved issues
• Detailed implementation docs that could be consolidated

Low-Impact Targets:

• Files <10KB with minor optimization potential
• Content that could be streamlined but is unique

Optimization Strategy

Phase 1: Remove Obsolete Content (Highest Impact)

Target: Files marked as removed, deprecated, or clearly obsolete

Actions:

1. Delete files marked as "REMOVED" or "DEPRECATED"
2. Remove generated reviews/reports that are outdated
3. Clean up empty or minimal temporary files
4. Update CLAUDE.md references to removed files

Expected Savings: 30-50KB typically

Phase 2: Consolidate Overlapping Documentation (High Impact)

Target: Multiple files covering the same functional area

Common Consolidation Opportunities:

• Security files: Combine security-fixes, security-optimization, security-hardening into one comprehensive file
• Performance files: Merge performance-optimization and test-suite documentation
• Architecture files: Consolidate detailed architecture descriptions
• Testing files: Combine multiple test documentation files

Actions:

1. Create consolidated files with comprehensive coverage
2. Ensure all essential information is preserved
3. Remove the separate files
4. Update all references in CLAUDE.md

Expected Savings: 20-40KB typically

Phase 3: Streamline CLAUDE.md (Medium Impact)

Target: Remove verbose content that duplicates memory bank files

Actions:

1. Replace detailed descriptions with concise summaries
2. Remove redundant architecture explanations
3. Focus on essential guidance and references
4. Eliminate duplicate setup instructions

Expected Savings: 5-10KB typically

Phase 4: Archive Strategy (Medium Impact)

Target: Historic documentation that's resolved but worth preserving

Actions:

1. Create archive/ directory
2. Move resolved issue documentation to archive
3. Add archive README.md with index
4. Update CLAUDE.md with archive reference
5. Preserve discoverability while reducing active memory

Expected Savings: 10-20KB typically

Consolidation Guidelines

Creating Comprehensive Files

Security Consolidation Pattern:

# CLAUDE-security-comprehensive.md

**Status**: ✅ COMPLETE - All Security Implementations  
**Coverage**: [List of consolidated topics]

## Executive Summary
[High-level overview of all security work]

## [Topic 1] - [Original File 1 Content]
[Essential information from first file]

## [Topic 2] - [Original File 2 Content] 
[Essential information from second file]

## [Topic 3] - [Original File 3 Content]
[Essential information from third file]

## Consolidated [Cross-cutting Concerns]
[Information that appeared in multiple files]

Quality Standards:

• Maintain all essential technical information
• Preserve implementation details and examples
• Keep configuration examples and code snippets
• Include all important troubleshooting information
• Maintain proper status tracking and dates

File Naming Convention

• Use -comprehensive suffix for consolidated files
• Use descriptive names that indicate complete coverage
• Update CLAUDE.md with single reference per topic area

Implementation Process

1. Plan and Validate

# Create todo list for tracking
TodoWrite with optimization phases and specific files

2. Execute by Priority

• Start with highest-impact targets (obsolete files)
• Move to consolidation opportunities
• Optimize main documentation
• Implement archival strategy

3. Update References

• Update CLAUDE.md memory bank file list
• Remove references to deleted files
• Add references to new consolidated files
• Update archive references

4. Validate Results

# Calculate savings achieved
find . -name "CLAUDE-*.md" -not -path "*/archive/*" -exec wc -c {} \; | awk '{sum+=$1} END {print sum}'

Expected Outcomes

Typical Optimization Results

• 15-25% total token reduction in memory bank
• Improved organization with focused, comprehensive files
• Maintained information quality with no essential loss
• Better maintainability through reduced duplication
• Preserved history via organized archival

Success Metrics

• Total KB/token savings achieved
• Number of files consolidated
• Percentage reduction in memory bank size
• Maintenance of all essential information

Quality Assurance

Information Preservation Checklist

• All technical implementation details preserved
• Configuration examples and code snippets maintained
• Troubleshooting information retained
• Status tracking and timeline information kept
• Cross-references and dependencies documented

Organization Improvement Checklist

• Related information grouped logically
• Clear file naming and purpose
• Updated CLAUDE.md references
• Archive strategy implemented
• Discoverability maintained

Post-Optimization Maintenance

Regular Optimization Schedule

• Monthly: Check for new obsolete files
• Quarterly: Review for new consolidation opportunities
• Semi-annually: Comprehensive optimization review
• As-needed: After major implementation phases

Warning Signs for Re-optimization

• Memory bank files exceeding previous optimized size
• Multiple new files covering same topic areas
• Files marked as removed/deprecated but still present
• User feedback about context window limitations

Documentation Standards

Consolidated File Format

# CLAUDE-[topic]-comprehensive.md

**Last Updated**: [Date]
**Status**: ✅ [Status Description]
**Coverage**: [What this file consolidates]

## Executive Summary
[Overview of complete topic coverage]

## [Major Section 1]
[Comprehensive coverage of subtopic]

## [Major Section 2] 
[Comprehensive coverage of subtopic]

## [Cross-cutting Concerns]
[Information spanning multiple original files]

Archive File Format

# archive/README.md

## Archived Files
### [Category]
- **filename.md** - [Description] (resolved/historic)

## Usage
Reference when investigating similar issues or understanding implementation history.

This systematic approach ensures consistent, effective memory bank optimization while preserving all essential information and improving overall organization.