Context Fields
Stop telling LLMs what to do. Tell them what NOT to do.
Context Fields are composable cognitive constraints that reshape how Claude thinks. Instead of instructions that can be ignored, they create blockers that must be resolved.
The Core Discovery
Standard prompt engineering uses instructions: "Consider edge cases. Write secure code."
These create preferences. When the easy path is obvious, preferences lose.
Context Fields use inhibitions: "Do not handle only the happy path."
These create blockers. The model cannot proceed without addressing them.
Results from testing:
- Assumption stating: 0% → 100%
- Hidden bug discovery: +320%
- Refuses bad requests: 0% → 100%
Installation (Claude Code Plugin)
# Add the marketplace
claude plugin marketplace add NeoVertex1/context-field
# Install the plugin
claude plugin install context-fields
After installation, fields auto-activate based on your request type, or use them explicitly:
/context-fields:code Write a function to validate email addresses
/context-fields:debug My React app crashes on button click
/context-fields:interview Should I quit my job?
The Fields (21 Total)
Core Fields (15)
| Field | Purpose | Key Constraint |
|---|
/code | Assumption-stating before coding | Do not write code before stating assumptions |
/interview | Questions before advice | Do not answer before understanding the real problem |
/critic | Rigorous examination | Do not accept the premise without examining it |
/debug | Root cause analysis | Do not propose fixes before understanding failure |
/creative | Unfiltered ideation | Do not filter ideas before expressing them |
/simplify | Reduction to essentials | Do not add abstraction before proving it's needed |
/empathy | Emotional acknowledgment first | Do not solve before acknowledging feelings |
/concise | Brevity and directness | Do not write more when less would suffice |
/planning | Structure before execution | Do not execute before planning |
/scope | Explicit boundaries | Do not start without defining what's in and out |
/teacher | Understanding verification | Do not explain next concept before verifying previous |
/steelman | Strongest version of arguments | Do not attack the weak version |
/adversarial | Failure mode identification | Do not assume good faith inputs |
/explore | Delayed commitment, retain ambiguity | Do not conclude when the question is still opening |
/novel | Non-obvious, original thinking | Do not suggest the first idea that comes to mind |
Anti-Fields (6)
For when you want the normally-discouraged behavior:
| Field | Inverse Of | Purpose |
|---|
/elaborate | /simplify | Explore full complexity |
/trust | /critic | Build on ideas, assume good faith |
/conventional | /creative | Prefer proven patterns |
/verbose | /concise | Full explanations with context |
/solve | /interview | Immediate solutions over questions |
Tools (1)
| Field | Purpose |
|---|
/generate | Create new fields from failure descriptions |
How It Works
The Four Primitives
Every field is built from these components:
- Inhibition: "Do not X" - Creates a blocker that must be resolved
- Forcing Function: "What/Why/How?" - Redirects processing
- Meta-monitor: "Before X, do Y" - Creates a checkpoint
- Scope Bound: "Under what conditions..." - Forces explicit limitation
Why Inhibition Beats Instruction
| Approach | Example | What Happens |
|---|
| Instruction | "Consider edge cases" | Model tries, but takes easy path when uncertain |
| Inhibition | "Do not handle only the happy path" | Model cannot proceed without addressing edge cases |
Analogy:
- Instruction = suggesting a scenic route
- Inhibition = closing the highway
One influences. The other forces.
Composition
Fields stack. Use multiple for complex tasks:
/context-fields:interview + /context-fields:scope
I want to build a social media app.
Tested Compositions
| Composition | Use Case | Result |
|---|
| /code + /critic | Code review | Finds bugs AND design flaws |
| /interview + /scope | Requirements | Asks context AND bounds scope |
| /creative + /critic | Brainstorming | Generates THEN evaluates (phased) |
| /debug + /adversarial | Security | Diagnoses with threat modeling |
| /empathy + /interview | Life decisions | Acknowledges feelings, then explores |
Key finding: When fields have tension, the model naturally phases them. /creative + /critic produces generation first, then critique.
5-field composition tested and working.
Auto-Activation
After installing the plugin, fields auto-activate based on request type:
