Context Compaction
Reducing current conversation history, for example by replacing older messages with a summary.
Older conversation
→Task summaryRecent messages
Make room to continue
In practice
During a long website task, preserve decisions, constraints, changed files and pending work while keeping recent critical messages.
What to check
Specify what must survive and inspect the summary. Keep original file references for exact code or rules and reread them when needed.
Common confusion
Summaries can omit or distort details. Compaction neither enlarges the model window nor establishes durable cross-session memory.
Tell your agent
Compact this conversation while preserving the goal, confirmed decisions, constraints, changed files, pending work and next action. Mark uncertainty and retain source paths; do not report plans as completed work.