[BUG] /context command shows full skill tokens instead of loaded metadata tokens

Resolved 💬 15 comments Opened Dec 20, 2025 by PaulRBerg Closed Jan 8, 2026

What went wrong?

The /context command displays the absolute token count for skills (the full SKILL.md content), not the minimal amount of tokens they actually consume at startup (only name and description from the YAML frontmatter).

This confuses users because it appears as though all skill tokens are loaded into context, when in fact skills use progressive disclosure—only their metadata (~100 tokens per skill) is loaded initially, with full content loaded on-demand when triggered.

What should happen?

The /context command should either:

  1. Display the actual tokens consumed (just name + description metadata), or
  2. Clearly indicate that the displayed token count is the "potential maximum" vs "currently loaded" amount, or
  3. Show both values (e.g., "50 / 2,500 tokens" meaning 50 loaded, 2,500 if fully activated)

<img width="300" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/1694c99a-0b62-4950-aef3-22f7d269601a" />

<img width="300" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/29e7c515-fdb0-4783-b608-168e9cb60dbf" />

Steps to reproduce

  1. Install several skills (user or project level)
  2. Run /context command
  3. Observe that skills show their full token counts
  4. Compare to actual context usage—skills aren't fully loaded until triggered

Environment

  • Version: 2.0.74 (Claude Code)
  • OS: macOS 26.2 (Tahoe)
  • Terminal: Warp v0.2025.12.17.17.17.stable_02

Is this a regression?

Don't know - this may have always been the behavior, but it's misleading given the progressive disclosure architecture.

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