Default to compact instead of clear when context is nearly full

Resolved 💬 2 comments Opened Feb 21, 2026 by asiop Closed Mar 22, 2026

Problem

When about to implement a planl, Claude Code prompts the user to clear context. This is destructive and irreversible — the entire conversation history is lost, and everything has to be re-learned from scratch.

In practice, sessions are almost always ongoing related work. Clearing context mid-session means losing accumulated knowledge about what was tried, what failed, and what decisions were made.

Suggestion

  • Default to compact instead of clear when the context limit is approaching
  • Or offer both options with compact as the recommended/first choice (e.g., "Yes, compact context" as primary, "Clear context entirely" as secondary)
  • Ideally, allow users to configure this behavior in settings

Rationale

  • /compact preserves essential context in summarized form, which is the right behavior in nearly all cases
  • /clear is rarely what users actually want — if they need a truly fresh start, they can start a new session
  • Accidentally hitting "yes" on a clear prompt is an irreversible mistake with no recovery path
  • The current UX is a footgun: a destructive action is the default suggestion during normal workflow

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