Episode Details

When you run /compact in Claude Code, you're not stuck with a generic summary. By passing a compaction directive — a prompt that shapes what survives and how — you can transform context loss into a strategic advantage. This episode breaks down the mechanics of the separate summarization model call, explores why vague instructions fail, and reveals four powerful patterns: reframing conversations as decision logs, extracting task lists, distilling reusable knowledge, and shifting perspectives. If you've ever felt the sting of lost context after a long session, this episode shows you how to make every compaction count.