Context Window Management

State file: ~/.openclaw/skill-state/context-window-management/state.yaml

Warning Signs

• Session running for many hours
• Responses getting slower or less coherent
• Carrying context about completed tasks no longer relevant
• Large code blocks in context not being actively used
• Check last_compacted_at in state — if compacted recently this session, prefer a lighter strategy

Reduction Strategies

Summarize Completed Work

Replace detailed context about finished tasks with short summaries. After: write state strategy_used: summarize, current_task, last_compacted_at.

Externalize Reference Material

Move large docs/schemas to files. Reference them by filename rather than including in context. After: write state strategy_used: externalize, current_task, last_compacted_at.

Clean Session Restart

Write comprehensive handoff document, start fresh session, load only what's needed. After: write state strategy_used: clean_restart, handoff_path, current_task, last_compacted_at.

What to Keep in Context

• Current task objective
• Current step being executed
• Relevant code being modified (just the parts in scope)
• Recent error messages if debugging

What to Offload

• Completed task details (summarize to memory)
• Full file contents of files not currently being edited
• Conversation history from different topics hours ago
• Reference docs that can be re-read on demand