| name | context-viz |
| description | Visualize the current context window usage — token estimates per component (system prompt, tools, workspace files, messages, free space). Use when the user asks about context size, token usage, context breakdown, "how full is the context", or wants to see what's consuming their context window. |
Context Visualization
Estimate and display a breakdown of the current context window usage.
How It Works
Run the bundled script to estimate token counts for workspace files:
python3 scripts/estimate_tokens.py /path/to/workspace
The script counts characters in known workspace files and estimates tokens (~4 chars/token).
Then call session_status to get the actual context usage from OpenClaw.
Generating the Visualization
- Run
session_status to get: model, context used/total, compactions
- Run
scripts/estimate_tokens.py <workspace_path> to estimate file token sizes
- Estimate message tokens:
context_used - system_overhead - file_tokens
- Present the breakdown using the format below
Output Format
Use a monospace block with bar chart. Adapt the bar lengths proportionally.
📊 Context Usage
<model> • <used>k/<total>k tokens (<pct>%)
Component Tokens %
─────────────────────────────────────────────
⚙️ System prompt + tools ~Xk X% ░░
📋 AGENTS.md ~Xk X% ░
👻 SOUL.md ~Xk X%
👤 USER.md ~Xk X%
🔧 TOOLS.md ~Xk X% ░
💓 HEARTBEAT.md ~Xk X%
🧠 MEMORY.md ~Xk X% ░
🪪 IDENTITY.md ~Xk X%
💬 Messages ~Xk X% ░░░░░░░░░░░░
📭 Free space ~Xk X% ░░░░░
─────────────────────────────────────────────
Use ░ blocks: 1 block per ~2% of total context. Round to nearest block.
Memory Inventory (not in context)
Below the context chart, add a Memory on Disk section showing what's stored in memory/ — grouped by category. These files are NOT loaded into context but represent the agent's total knowledge base.
💾 Memory on Disk (not in context)
Category Files Tokens Size
──────────────────────────────────────────────────
📰 chinese-ai-digests 12 ~23k 92KB
📁 other 11 ~12k 46KB
📅 daily-notes 9 ~5k 17KB
🗃️ zettelkasten 8 ~4k 15KB
💼 linkedin 2 ~1k 5KB
──────────────────────────────────────────────────
Total: 42 ~44k 177KB
The script auto-categorizes files by directory or filename pattern.
Notes
- Token estimates use ~4 chars/token (rough average for English/mixed content)
- System prompt + tools overhead is estimated at ~8-10k tokens for a typical OpenClaw setup
- Message tokens are the remainder after subtracting files + system overhead
- Memory files are informational only — they show what the agent has accumulated
- For Discord/WhatsApp: skip markdown tables, use the block format above
