[FEATURE] Show progress indicator during context compaction
Preflight Checklist
- [x] I have searched existing requests and this feature hasn't been requested yet
- [x] This is a single feature request (not multiple features)
Problem Statement
The Claude desktop application displays a progress bar and percentage when compacting the conversation context. The CLI gives no feedback during this operation, which can make it appear frozen.
Proposed Solution
Add a progress indicator (e.g., a spinner with percentage) to the terminal output during compaction, similar to what the desktop application already shows.
When compaction starts, show something like:
⠋ Compacting conversation... 42%
and clear it (or replace with a completion message) when done.
Alternative Solutions
_No response_
Priority
Low - Nice to have
Feature Category
Interactive mode (TUI)
Use Case Example
Running /compact on a large session (or when it occurs automatically) can take 10–20 seconds with no feedback. A progress indicator reassures the user that the tool is working and gives a sense of how long to wait.
Additional Context
How it appears today:
<img width="288" height="104" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/16f253b9-1a3c-4509-b7bb-66cf570f7e47" />
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