For a different task, use /clear; to continue the same task with a shorter recap, use /compact. Claude Code context does not literally spoil like milk, but conversation history and previously read material can leave irrelevant details competing with what you need it to do now. Keep durable project instructions in a concise, current CLAUDE.md, and use the context indicator or /context to decide whether cleanup is needed.
What counts as Claude Code context?
Context is more than your latest prompt. It can include the conversation so far and material Claude Code has read while working. As a session grows, older details may be less relevant to the current task. Anthropic describes this qualitatively as “context rot”: a possibility that attention spread across a larger context, including distracting older material, can affect performance. That is not a quantified guarantee that every longer session gets worse, nor does Anthropic establish a specific quality or cost gain from clearing or compacting.
As Thariq Shihipar, identified by Anthropic as a member of its technical staff, puts it: “How you manage sessions, context, and compaction in Claude Code shapes your results more than you might expect.” (Anthropic, April 15, 2026.)
Should you use /clear or /compact?
| Choice | Use it when | What carries forward | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|---|
/clear |
You are switching tasks or the old discussion is no longer useful. | Project files and project memory, including CLAUDE.md. |
Conversation history is removed. Record anything you will need later first. |
/compact |
You are continuing the same task but want a shorter conversation recap. | A summary of earlier conversation. | The summary is selective and can omit details unless you specify what matters. |
| Do nothing yet | The current work is focused and the context indicator is not a concern. | The full conversation. | Older material remains in the working context. |
Use /clear for a clean break
Anthropic recommends clearing when you move to a different task. The command removes conversation history without deleting project files or CLAUDE.md, so project memory remains available. If a decision, filename, constraint, or next step from the old conversation matters later, save it somewhere deliberate before clearing.
The Tool Desk
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- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
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Use /compact to hand off the same task
Compaction summarizes the conversation so Claude Code can continue with less of the prior discussion in context. Because a summary cannot preserve every detail, steer it when precision matters. For example: “Compact, preserving the chosen API design, the files changed, the failing test, and the next debugging step.” Then check that the resulting recap retains what the next step depends on.
Keep the full context when it is still useful
There is no need to clear or compact on a timer. If the ongoing work remains coherent and the context indicator does not suggest a problem, continuing the session keeps the full discussion available.
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How to keep context useful during a long session
- Check before guessing. Look at Claude Code’s context indicator or run
/contextto inspect context. Use what the current interface shows; there is no supported universal percentage at which every user should compact. - Choose the action based on the work. Clear when changing tasks; compact when carrying the same task forward; otherwise continue if the existing context is still useful.
- Preserve essential state before a clean break. If the task may resume later, record the decisions, relevant filenames, constraints, and next action in a deliberate handoff rather than relying on conversation history that
/clearremoves. - Review the result of compaction. Confirm the recap contains the information needed to proceed, and supply missing details if it does not.
Keep CLAUDE.md focused and current
Claude Code reads CLAUDE.md automatically at session start. Use it for durable project conventions and essential facts—not a running log of one task’s temporary status. Stale or overgrown instructions can themselves add material that is no longer useful, so review the file periodically and remove guidance that no longer applies. Anthropic Help Center suggests keeping it under roughly 200 lines as a rule of thumb, not a universal technical limit (Anthropic Help Center).
Keep transient task state in the active conversation or a deliberate handoff. This separates project-wide guidance that should be available in future sessions from the decisions and next steps that belong to a particular piece of work.
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Does Claude Code compact context automatically?
Yes. Claude Code can compact automatically near its context limit; Anthropic says this means users will rarely hit a hard wall (Anthropic Help Center). The cited guidance does not establish one fixed trigger that applies across every model, plan, or version. Check the current context indicator rather than waiting for a particular percentage or assuming compaction will preserve every detail.
Anthropic’s platform API documentation also describes configurable, threshold-based compaction. That is an API capability; it should not be treated as proof of a universal trigger or identical configuration in the Claude Code interface (Anthropic Platform Documentation).
Quick Recap
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