# Create Context

> Create baseline context from .in/ folder with manifest-driven organization (run once per project). Use when bootstrapping project context, setting up .ctx/ snapshot. Triggers include "create context", "bootstrap context", "setup context", "init context".

- Skill: `digital-stoic-org/create-context` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 4 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add digital-stoic-org/create-context`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/digital-stoic-org/create-context/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: digital-stoic-org (https://skillmd.com/u/digital-stoic-org)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/digital-stoic-org/create-context

---


# Create Context

Bootstrap project context from `.in/` folder → `.ctx/` snapshot + baseline + RISEN INPUT table.

## ⚠️ AskUserQuestion Guard

**CRITICAL**: After EVERY `AskUserQuestion` call, check if answers are empty/blank. Known Claude Code bug: outside Plan Mode, AskUserQuestion silently returns empty answers without showing UI.

**If answers are empty**: DO NOT proceed with assumptions. Instead:
1. Output: "⚠️ Questions didn't display (known Claude Code bug outside Plan Mode)."
2. Present the options as a **numbered text list** and ask user to reply with their choice number.
3. WAIT for user reply before continuing.

## Folder Architecture

- **`.in/`**: Immutable bootstrap (user dumps raw docs, never modified by commands)
- **`.ctx/`**: Actionable snapshot (generated: manifest + summaries + copied files)

## Steps

### 1. Prerequisites

```bash
[ -d .in/ ] || error "No .in/ folder found. Create it and add source files first."
[ -d .ctx/ ] && [ "$1" != "--force" ] && error ".ctx/ exists. Use --force to recreate."
```

Skip security-sensitive files: `.env*`, `*credentials*`, `*secrets*`, `*token*`, `*.key`, `*.pem`, `*.crt`

### 2. Scan & Prioritize

1. Glob: `.in/**/*.{md,txt,csv,yaml,json}`
2. AskUserQuestion per file: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW + brief description

### 3. Create .ctx/ and Generate Manifest

Write `.ctx/manifest.yaml` — see `reference.md` for schema.

### 4. Context Sizing & Copy

Token estimation: `tokens ≈ words / 0.75` (via `wc -w`)

| Priority | ≤ threshold | > threshold, ≤25K | > 25K |
|----------|-------------|-------------------|-------|
| HIGH | ≤1500 → inline | summarize directly | summarize via sub-agent |
| MEDIUM | ≤2500 → inline | summarize directly | summarize via sub-agent |
| LOW | reference only | — | — |

Copy HIGH/MEDIUM files to `.ctx/`, preserving subdirectory structure.

### 5. Summarize (if needed)

- Direct: Read + generate ~500 token summary → `.ctx/{nn}-{basename}-summary-llm.md`
- Sub-agent: Task(`summarize-for-context`) for files >25K tokens

### 6. Write Baseline

Create `CONTEXT-baseline-llm.md` with inline content + summary refs + LOW references.
Target: ≤2000 tokens.

### 7. Output

Report: file counts, RISEN INPUT table, suggest `/save-context baseline`.

See `reference.md` for manifest schema, baseline template, and validation rules.