strategic-compact

name	strategic-compact
description	Guidance for compacting context manually at phase boundaries instead of waiting for auto-compaction mid-task.
when_to_use	Use when a session is getting long and the user is between phases, such as after exploration, before implementation, or before a handoff.

Strategic Compact Skill

Compact at logical boundaries of your workflow when context has gone stale. Check the statusline for actual context usage before deciding — do not guess from tool-call counts or elapsed time.

When Compacting Pays Off

• After exploration, before execution — Compact research context, keep the implementation plan
• After completing a milestone — Fresh start for the next phase
• Before major context shifts — Clear exploration context before a different task

Best Practices

1. Compact after planning - Once plan is finalized, compact to start fresh
2. Compact after debugging - Clear error-resolution context before continuing
3. Don't compact mid-implementation - Preserve context for related changes
4. Trust the harness - Auto-compaction and the statusline context meter are reliable; manual /compact is an optimization at phase boundaries, not a requirement