context-tricks

Context Tricks: Master the Context Window

Context is your most precious resource. These techniques protect it.

Guided Compaction

Don't let auto-compaction decide what to keep. Guide it:

/compact preserve the auth refactoring plan and test results

Add to CLAUDE.md for persistent guidance:

When compacting, always preserve: current plan, test results, key architectural decisions.

Partial Compaction

Compress only part of the conversation:

1. /rewind — opens checkpoint menu
2. Select a message
3. Choose "Summarize from here" This keeps recent context intact while compressing old context.

/btw — Side Questions

Ask a quick question that doesn't enter conversation history:

/btw what's the syntax for Laravel's whereHas?

Answer comes back without polluting your working context.

Checkpoints

Every Claude action creates a checkpoint. Use this aggressively:

• Try risky things. If they fail: /rewind → restore.
• Double-tap Escape or /rewind to open the menu.
• Restore conversation state, code state, or both.
• Checkpoints persist across sessions.

@ File References

Include files instantly without waiting for Claude to read them:

@src/auth/middleware.php refactor this to use the new auth service
@src/api/ show me the API structure

Faster than waiting for Claude to Read the file. Paths can be relative or absolute.

Session Discipline (The /clear Pattern)

Finish task → commit → /clear → new task

• Don't mix unrelated tasks in one session
• A clean session with a sharp prompt beats a messy 3-hour session
• The 5 seconds to clear saves 30+ minutes of diminishing returns
• After 2 failed corrections on the same issue: /clear and write a better prompt

Session Naming

claude -n "auth-refactor"     # Start named session
/rename auth-refactor         # Rename during session
claude --resume auth-refactor # Resume by name later

Compact at 60-70%, Not 90%

At 60-70% context, Claude still has clear recall of the full conversation. Compacting here produces BETTER summaries than waiting until 90% when quality has already degraded. Watch your status line.

Subagents for Context Isolation

When you need to read many files for research:

Use a subagent to investigate src/auth/ and report what authentication patterns are used

The subagent reads 20 files. Only a 200-token summary returns to your session.