Context Preservation Skill
Generate structured context summaries when compaction is imminent or requested, ensuring session continuity without information loss.
Output Format (STRICT - NO DEVIATIONS)
markdown
### 1. Current Objective & Status - **Goal**: [Robust, multi-sentence description of what we are building. Include critical details, context, and the "Definition of Done". Do not summarize into a single vague line.] - **Status**: [Completed | In Progress | Blocked] - **Immediate Next Step**: [The very next command or code edit required. Be specific.] ### 2. Active Context - **Active Files**: - `[Absolute Path]` - `[Absolute Path]` - **Recent Changes**: [Specific descriptions of what *just* changed in the code, referencing specific functions or logic.] - **Variables/State**: [Key variable names, data structures, or temporary states currently in focus.] ### 3. Constraints & Decisions (CRITICAL) - **Preferences**: [User preferences stated in this session, e.g., "no external deps", "use snake_case"] - **Discarded Approaches**: [What did we try that failed? Do not repeat these mistakes.] - **Architectural Rules**: [Patterns we agreed on, e.g., "Service Layer pattern", "DTOs required"] ### 4. Continuity Handoff - "When resuming, the first thing to do is..."
Content Extraction
Section 1: Current Objective & Status
- •Extract goal from user's initial request, explicit goal statements, Definition of Done indicators
- •Status:
Completed(all objectives achieved),In Progress(work ongoing),Blocked(explicit blocker) - •Next step: last in-progress item, last "next I will..." statement, or first pending objective
Section 2: Active Context
- •Files touched via Read/Write/Edit operations, prioritized by recency
- •ALWAYS use absolute paths (e.g.,
/Users/turla/Code/project/src/auth.ts) - •Summarize function additions, modifications, deletions with specific names and line refs
- •Key variables, data structures, environment variables in focus
Section 3: Constraints & Decisions
- •Preferences: "don't use...", "prefer...", "always...", "never..."
- •Discarded approaches: failed attempts with reasons
- •Architectural rules: pattern agreements, structure decisions, dependency choices
Section 4: Continuity Handoff
- •Always begin with "When resuming, the first thing to do is..."
- •Must be specific enough for a fresh Claude instance to immediately continue
Anti-Patterns (NEVER DO)
Goal Description
WRONG:
- •"Building a feature"
- •"Working on authentication"
RIGHT:
- •"Building a user authentication system with OAuth2 PKCE flow for the mobile app. The system must support Google and Apple SSO, store refresh tokens securely in the device keychain. Definition of Done: user can complete full login flow, tokens persist across app restarts, logout clears all tokens."
Active Files
WRONG:
- •
file.ts - •
./src/auth.ts
RIGHT:
- •
/Users/turla/Code/myproject/src/auth/oauth-handler.ts
Recent Changes
WRONG:
- •"Updated the file"
- •"Fixed some issues"
RIGHT:
- •"Added
validateTokenExpiry()function to/Users/turla/Code/myproject/src/auth/token-storage.ts(lines 42-67) that checks JWT expiration. ModifiedrefreshToken()to call this before attempting refresh."
Immediate Next Step
WRONG:
- •"Continue working"
- •"Finish the implementation"
RIGHT:
- •"Run
npm test -- --testPathPattern=oauth-handlerto verify the newvalidateTokenExpiry()function works with expired tokens"
Validation Checklist
Section 1
- • Goal is 2+ sentences with Definition of Done
- • Status is exactly: Completed, In Progress, or Blocked
- • Next step is a specific command or edit
Section 2
- • All file paths are absolute (start with
/) - • Recent changes reference specific function/method names
Section 3
- • Discarded approaches explain WHY they were discarded
- • No empty sections (use "None stated this session" if applicable)
Section 4
- • Starts with "When resuming, the first thing to do is..."
- • Contains a specific, actionable instruction