| name | context-reset |
| description | Guidance on shrinking or fully resetting conversation context between auto-engineer iterations — when to use /compact (built-in summarise), /clear (built-in wipe), or a full process restart via scripts/restart-loop.sh. |
context-reset
This skill is a reference document, not an executable action. /compact and /clear are built-in Claude Code CLI commands — they cannot be invoked by the Skill tool from within a running session. Reading this skill brings the guidance into context so you can apply the right approach for the situation.
Why context accumulates
Each auto-engineer iteration reads playbooks, fetches issues, reads source files, runs sub-agents, and produces diffs. That context stays in the conversation window across iterations unless explicitly trimmed. After several cycles the window grows large, cache misses become expensive, and prior-cycle residue (old branch names, resolved bugs, superseded plans) can subtly corrupt decisions.
Three options
| Situation | Action |
|---|
| Normal end-of-cycle, session still healthy, just want to trim cost | /compact (built-in) |
| Prior cycles are actively corrupting decisions — Claude is replaying resolved issues or hallucinating old state | /clear (built-in), then restart auto-engineer with explicit --iteration N |
| Container run requiring a truly clean process (token ceiling hit, env/credential refresh needed) | scripts/restart-loop.sh --iteration N (run on the host) |
/compact — the default (auto-engineer step 10)
Summarises the conversation in place. The iteration counter, stop-reason history, and current PR state survive in the summary. This is why auto-engineer step 10 calls /compact rather than /clear — the ScheduleWakeup prompt carries --iteration N forward, but the surrounding rationale lives in the summary.
How to invoke: type /compact directly in the Claude Code CLI. It cannot be called from a skill or tool.
/clear — full wipe
Erases the entire conversation. Use only when context corruption is confirmed — you will lose the iteration counter and any uncarried state. After /clear, restart auto-engineer explicitly:
/auto-engineer --iteration <N>
How to invoke: type /clear directly in the Claude Code CLI.
scripts/restart-loop.sh — process restart
Kills the current container and launches a fresh one. The new Claude process starts with zero context. Use when /compact is insufficient (e.g. the context window is full even after compaction) or when you need a clean environment (fresh credentials, updated Docker image, memory hygiene).
scripts/restart-loop.sh
scripts/restart-loop.sh --iteration <N>
The --iteration N flag is passed through to /auto-engineer so the loop continues from where it left off with a clean slate.
Decision guide
- End of a healthy cycle with plenty of quota →
/compact (auto-engineer does this automatically in step 10).
- Claude is making decisions based on stale prior-cycle context →
/clear + /auto-engineer --iteration N.
- Context window is full even after
/compact, or you need a fresh container → scripts/restart-loop.sh --iteration N.
