How do active MCP tools impact my context window?

MCP tools consume context tokens. Keeping your active tool count between 10-20 is optimal; exceeding 80 tools will likely lead to performance degradation.

How can I make my Claude Code conversations more efficient?

Reduce round-trips by batching independent operations, such as reading multiple files simultaneously or running lint and test commands in parallel.

When should I move information from CLAUDE.md to a Skill?

Use CLAUDE.md for global project info used in every session. Move language-specific patterns, framework guides, or occasionally used workflows into dedicated Skills.

What is the recommended size for a CLAUDE.md file?

The optimal size is between 60-100 lines. Files exceeding 150 lines should be refactored by moving detailed patterns into specific skills or external documentation.

Context Optimization & Strategic Compact

Name: Context Optimization & Strategic Compact
Author: peopleforrester

bypeopleforrester

•

Productivity & Workflow

Optimizes Claude Code's context window usage through token budgeting, efficient CLAUDE.md structuring, and advanced conversation management.

Strategic Compact is a specialized skill designed to help developers master Claude Code's context window limits. It provides a technical framework for managing token budgets across project files, active skills, and MCP tools, ensuring that Claude remains performant even in large-scale repositories. By implementing these strategies, users can prevent context pollution, reduce conversation round-trips through parallel operations, and maintain a high-density, high-utility CLAUDE.md file that prioritizes critical project conventions over verbose documentation.

Key Features

01Best practices for CLAUDE.md sizing and content prioritization

022 GitHub stars

03MCP tool audit and pruning strategies to minimize overhead

04Precise token budget guidelines for passive and active context loads

05Efficiency patterns for reducing round-trips and batching operations

06Context recovery protocols for summarized or compacted sessions

Use Cases

01Optimizing developer dotfiles and project-specific configurations for AI performance

02Managing complex workflows involving multiple MCP servers and tools

03Navigating and editing large-scale monorepos without hitting context limits

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add peopleforrester/claude-dotfiles optimization

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Key Features

01Best practices for CLAUDE.md sizing and content prioritization

022 GitHub stars

03MCP tool audit and pruning strategies to minimize overhead

04Precise token budget guidelines for passive and active context loads

05Efficiency patterns for reducing round-trips and batching operations

06Context recovery protocols for summarized or compacted sessions

Use Cases

01Optimizing developer dotfiles and project-specific configurations for AI performance

02Managing complex workflows involving multiple MCP servers and tools

03Navigating and editing large-scale monorepos without hitting context limits

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add peopleforrester/claude-dotfiles optimization

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT