# Context Efficiency

> Keep context focused across long investigations, multiple phases or delegation. Use when context noise threatens the next correct decision.

- Skill: `noumenonnn/context-efficiency` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add noumenonnn/context-efficiency`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/noumenonnn/context-efficiency/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: noumenonnn (https://skillmd.com/u/noumenonnn)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/noumenonnn/context-efficiency

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# Context Efficiency

Keep the smallest context that supports the next correct decision, not the fewest tokens at any cost.

- Search → relevant files → sufficient read → expand only for an unresolved question.
- Reuse unchanged evidence; re-read after edits, resets or when exact current bytes matter.
- Keep instructions/tool catalogs stable during a phase. Appending changing status to AGENTS or repeatedly switching models harms cache reuse.
- For a small task use one agent/phase. Delegate only if isolation or specialization pays for the coordination cost.
- Give a child a bounded goal, owned paths, constraints, verification path, output contract and stop condition. Children in the same cwd share files; permit one writer at a time.
- Save canonical decisions, constraints, source pointers, dirty state, exact checks/outcomes, blockers and next action before a context cut. Do not save transcripts or secrets.
- Core Pi: keep auto-compaction on and use /compact when useful. Optional pi-agenticoding: deliberate /handoff only after a checkpoint and a smoke-tested setup. Handoff starts a new prefix; it does not preserve cache.
- Stop exploration once behavior, change surface and verification are known. Escalate when attempts yield no new evidence.

Measure end-to-end cost/time per accepted task and quality/failure rates, including subagents, retries, reviews and cold-cache effects. Do not claim savings without a controlled baseline.