Observe Compaction Behavior

Let's actually see how compaction works.

Exercise 1: Fill Your Context

Have a long conversation with your agent:

• Discuss multiple topics
• Share specific details (numbers, names, dates)
• Make decisions together
• Create some files

Keep going until you see context warnings or notice summarization.

Exercise 2: Test Memory Before Compaction

Before the long conversation ends, note:

• 3 specific facts discussed
• 2 decisions made
• 1 file created

Exercise 3: Start a New Session

End the session and start fresh. Ask about:

• The specific facts
• The decisions
• The file

What You'll Notice

Without proper memory:

• Agent forgets the facts
• Doesn't know about decisions
• May or may not remember the file (depends on if it's in the filesystem)

With proper memory:

• Facts are in daily log or detail files
• Decisions are logged with [E] tag
• File creation is noted

The Pre-Compaction Flush

In a future long conversation, when you notice context getting large:

1. Tell your agent: "Before we continue, let's save important context"
2. Have it write a summary of key points to daily log
3. Update WORKING.md with current state
4. Continue the conversation

Then test if the information survives compaction.

Validation

After this exercise, you should understand:

• How context fills up over long conversations
• What happens when context gets compacted
• Why explicit memory saves are necessary
• The pattern for preserving important information