Prompt file imported from PauloHYBEX/Nexus-TCMS (
.windsurf/workflows/references/context-budget.md). Copyright stays with the author.
<context_budget>
Standard rules for keeping orchestrator context lean. Reference this in workflows that spawn subagents or read significant content.
Universal Rules
Every workflow that spawns agents or reads significant content must follow these rules:
- Never read agent definition files (
agents/*.md) —subagent_typeauto-loads them - Never inline large files into subagent prompts — tell agents to read files from disk instead
- Read depth scales with context window — check
context_windowin.planning/config.json:- At < 500000 tokens (default 200k): read only frontmatter, status fields, or summaries
- At >= 500000 tokens (1M model): MAY read full subagent output bodies when needed for inline decisions
- Delegate heavy work to subagents — the orchestrator routes, it doesn't execute
- Proactive warning: If you've already consumed significant context (large file reads, multiple subagent results), warn the user: "Context budget is getting heavy. Consider checkpointing progress."
Read Depth by Context Window
| Context Window | Subagent Output Reading | SUMMARY.md | VERIFICATION.md | PLAN.md (other phases) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| < 500k (200k model) | Frontmatter only | Frontmatter only | Frontmatter only | Current phase only |
| >= 500k (1M model) | Full body permitted | Full body permitted | Full body permitted | Current phase only |
How to check: Read .planning/config.json and inspect context_window. If the field is absent, treat as 200000 (conservative default).
Context Degradation Tiers
Monitor context usage and adjust behavior accordingly:
| Tier | Usage | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| PEAK | 0-30% | Full operations. Read bodies, spawn multiple agents, inline results. |
| GOOD | 30-50% | Normal operations. Prefer frontmatter reads, delegate aggressively. |
| DEGRADING | 50-70% | Economize. Frontmatter-only reads, minimal inlining, warn user about budget. |
| POOR | 70%+ | Emergency mode. Checkpoint progress immediately. No new reads unless critical. |
Context Degradation Warning Signs
Quality degrades gradually before panic thresholds fire. Watch for these early signals:
- Silent partial completion — agent claims task is done but implementation is incomplete. Always verify agent output meets the plan's must_haves, not just that files exist.
- Increasing vagueness — agent starts using phrases like "appropriate handling" or "standard patterns" instead of specific code. This indicates context pressure.
- Skipped steps — agent omits protocol steps it would normally follow. If an agent's success criteria has 8 items but it only reports 5, suspect context pressure.
When delegating to agents, the orchestrator cannot verify semantic correctness of agent output — only structural completeness. Mitigate with must_haves and spot-check verification.
</context_budget>