# Context Budget > Manage context pressure during large codebase work without losing critical state. Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/context-budget-3` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/context-budget-3` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/context-budget-3/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Finance & Business - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/context-budget-3 --- # Context Budget ${ARGS} ## Keep Preserve active goals, constraints, changed files, unresolved decisions, verification state, and user preferences. ## Drop Summarize repeated logs, dependency download noise, stale alternatives, and file contents already transformed into decisions. ## Retrieve Use `symbol_search` and targeted CLI reads (`sed`, `grep`, `rg`, `git show`) instead of rereading whole files. Reconstruct context from durable project artifacts when possible. ## Handoff Before compression or long transitions, write a concise brief with next action, blockers, and validation commands. --- > Source: [by-scott/cortex-plugin-dev](https://github.com/by-scott/cortex-plugin-dev) — distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io).