digital-stoic-org Instruct Compact
Synthesize the current session into a directive block the user copy-pastes into /compact <paste>. The block tells the built-in summarizer what to preserve verbatim, what to compress, and what to drop — so intentional compaction keeps signal and sheds noise.
Output: a fenced block only, printed to terminal. No file written. Target: 250-400 tokens. Speed: 3-5s.
Distinct from /save-context (durable CONTEXT-*-llm.md for resuming later). This is ephemeral steering for compaction now.
When to Use
- User is about to run
/compactand wants to control what survives - Long session nearing auto-compaction; user wants to front-load survival priorities
- Triggers: "instruct compact", "compaction instructions", "steer compact", "prepare compaction"
Instructions
- Read the conversation (last 15-20 messages) — no shell needed unless confirming a file path.
- Synthesize the 8 sections (below). Write directives to the summarizer, not the content itself — e.g. "Preserve exact path
x/y.md", not a copy of the file. Embed a literal only when losing it is expensive (exact paths, the one key decision). - Print the block using the template. Nothing else after it except one line:
Copy the block above into /compact.
The 8 Sections
| Section | Directive to summarizer | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | State the purpose in 1 sentence; keep verbatim, anchor the summary to it | PRESERVE |
| Hot Files | List exact paths + 3-word role; preserve paths character-for-character | PRESERVE |
| Decisions | Each decision + its rationale; the why is unrecoverable, keep it | PRESERVE |
| Learnings | Non-obvious facts found mid-session (bugs, constraints, gotchas); keep — costly to rediscover | PRESERVE |
| Dead ends | Approaches TRIED and abandoned + why; PRESERVE so they aren't re-attempted. Distinct from Drop (noise): dead ends = negative knowledge worth keeping | PRESERVE |
| Next | 2-4 next actions. IMPORTANT: use heading "Next" — compaction grep-favors next/todo/pending for survival |
PRESERVE |
| Open threads | Unresolved questions / mid-flight work so it isn't dropped | COMPRESS-OK |
| Drop | Name what to discard: verbose tool output, resolved detours, raw logs | DROP |
The Drop section is the unique lever vs. /save-context — it actively frees budget for the PRESERVE tiers.
Output Template
Print exactly this shape (fill from synthesis; omit a section only if genuinely empty):
```
Compaction instructions — preserve signal, drop noise.
GOAL (keep verbatim): {one sentence}
PRESERVE VERBATIM:
- Hot files (exact paths): {path — role}; {path — role}
- Decisions + rationale: {decision — why}; {decision — why}
- Learnings/gotchas: {non-obvious fact}; {constraint}
DEAD ENDS (keep — don't retry): {approach tried & abandoned — why}
NEXT:
- {action}
- {action}
OPEN THREADS (may compress): {unresolved}; {mid-flight}
DROP (discard freely): {verbose tool output}; {resolved detours}; {raw logs}
```
Copy the block above into /compact.
Best Practices
- Directive, not dump: instruct the summarizer; don't re-paste content. Exception: exact paths + the single most-load-bearing decision go in verbatim.
- Rationale beats restatement: "chose X because Y" survives; "chose X" gets re-litigated.
- Be explicit about DROP: silence = the summarizer guesses. Name the noise.
- Preserve dead ends: name approaches already tried and abandoned so the summarizer keeps them and the next session doesn't re-attempt them. Negative knowledge is cheap to keep, costly to rediscover.
- Skip the ritual for trivial sessions: if the session is a greeting or a one-file fix, say "Session is light — compaction instructions add little" and stop.