nesalia-inc Context Check
Validate that the .context/ files align with the actual project state.
What is the Project Context System?
The Project Context System solves a fundamental problem: when an AI agent starts a conversation, it has no context about the project. It must guess the domain, rebuild structure mentally, and rediscover conventions.
The system defines context in .context/ files that the agent reads at startup. But if these files become stale or misaligned with reality, the agent works with wrong information.
This skill ensures the context remains accurate.
How It Fits In
project-context (core skill)
│
└── Uses: context-check (stale detection, structure validation)
Skills workflow:
/project-context → loads context, triggers context-check
/context-check → validates alignment, reports issues
/context-update → fixes issues found by context-check
When to Run
| Trigger | When |
|---|---|
| Session start | Check staleness before agent works |
| On demand | User asks "check context" or "validate context" |
| Pre-commit | Verify status before committing |
| After major changes | Architecture or stack modifications |
Checks Performed
1. Stale Detection
Check updated frontmatter against threshold:
| Document Type | Stale After |
|---|---|
| Status docs | 14 days |
| Definition docs | 90 days |
Alert format:
"I notice
[[status/current.md]]was updated 20 days ago. It's stale. Should I sync it?"
2. Structure Drift
Compare actual project structure with [[project/definition/structure.md]]:
tree -I "node_modules|dist|.git|build" -L 3
Report discrepancies like:
- Directories in reality but not in
structure.md - Directories documented but no longer exist
- New top-level folders not accounted for
3. Git History vs recent.md
Compare recent commits with [[project/status/recent.md]]:
- What was merged that isn't documented?
- What changed since the last documented update?
4. Blocker Status Check
Read [[project/status/active-issues.md]] and report:
- Number of active blockers
- Any that have been resolved but still listed
Output Format
Give a clear, concise report:
Context Check Results:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Status: │
│ - recent.md: up-to-date (2 days ago) │
│ - current.md: STALE (18 days ago) ← needs sync │
│ - active-issues.md: up-to-date │
│ │
│ Structure: aligned (no drift detected) │
│ │
│ Recent Changes: synced with git history │
│ │
│ Blockers: 2 active │
│ - Auth module: waiting for API keys │
│ - DB migration: blocked by backup │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
On Stale Detection
When documents are stale, offer to sync:
| File | Action |
|---|---|
status/current.md |
"I notice it's 20 days old. Should I analyze recent commits to update the sprint/phase info?" |
status/recent.md |
"Recent changes aren't documented. Want me to check git log and update?" |
status/active-issues.md |
"Blockers list might be outdated. Should I review and update?" |
Never update automatically. Offer and let user confirm.
What to Check vs What to Fix
| This Skill Does | Other Skills Do |
|---|---|
| Detect stale files | context-update fixes them |
| Report structure drift | context-update updates structure.md |
| Verify git history sync | context-update updates recent.md |
| List blockers | User resolves blockers |
This skill only validates and reports. It does not modify files.
Real Dates
Always use system date (from OS), not training data cutoff:
- Staleness calculated from real current date
- File ages computed from real system time