Big outputs go to files, then get queried.git diff main > /tmp/change.diff then grep -n "fn " /tmp/change.diff;
gh pr diff 12 > /tmp/pr12.diff; a build log to /tmp/build.log then
grep -m5 error /tmp/build.log. Never print thousands of lines to look
at twenty.
Summaries before bodies.git diff --stat before any full diff,
wc -l before a full read, ls -la before catting files. Decide what to
open from the summary.
Delegate bulk reading. Reading ten files to answer one question fills
the conversation with nine files of noise. Send the question to the
explorer agent and get back only the conclusion.
Ranged reads, always. You almost never need a whole file: read the
function, not the module. Ask for the specific line range the search hit
pointed at.
Do not re-read or re-run what is above. A file read earlier and
unchanged is still in the conversation; an identical command gives an
identical answer. Scroll back instead.
Minimal-output probes for external checks. Checking that a URL exists
needs a status code, not the page. Checking a fact in a doc needs one
grep, not the document.
1---2name: context-economy3description: Context economy4---56# Context economy781. **Big outputs go to files, then get queried.**9 `git diff main > /tmp/change.diff` then `grep -n "fn " /tmp/change.diff`;10 `gh pr diff 12 > /tmp/pr12.diff`; a build log to `/tmp/build.log` then11 `grep -m5 error /tmp/build.log`. Never print thousands of lines to look12 at twenty.132. **Summaries before bodies.** `git diff --stat` before any full diff,14 `wc -l` before a full read, `ls -la` before catting files. Decide what to15 open from the summary.163. **Delegate bulk reading.** Reading ten files to answer one question fills17 the conversation with nine files of noise. Send the question to the18 `explorer` agent and get back only the conclusion.194. **Ranged reads, always.** You almost never need a whole file: read the20 function, not the module. Ask for the specific line range the search hit21 pointed at.225. **Do not re-read or re-run what is above.** A file read earlier and23 unchanged is still in the conversation; an identical command gives an24 identical answer. Scroll back instead.256. **Minimal-output probes for external checks.** Checking that a URL exists26 needs a status code, not the page. Checking a fact in a doc needs one27 grep, not the document.
Run npx skillmds@latest add zfinix/context-economy in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.
Context economy It is listed under Coding & Dev Tools on SkillMD.
This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.
This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.
Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.
zfinix (@zfinix) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.
zfinix