Context File Optimizer

Trim

by danielmiessler · MIT license · ★ 19,269 on GitHub · v1.0.4

Reduces an always-on LifeOS context file that has grown too big via a human-gated pass — deterministic GC of stale entries first, then semantic merges and relocations — never dropping a directive and committing every change reversibly.…

---
name: Trim
version: 1.0.4
description: "Reduces an always-on LifeOS context file that has grown too big via a human-gated pass — deterministic GC of stale entries first, then semantic merges and relocations — never dropping a directive and committing every change reversibly. USE WHEN /trim, trim the context, trim OPERATIONAL_RULES, this file is too big, reduce a doctrine file, prune an always-loaded file, fold the proposal inbox, shrink CLAUDE.md or DA_IDENTITY. NOT FOR general code refactoring, trimming video or audio media (use AudioEditor for audio files), or removing AI writing patterns from prose."
---

# Trim

Shrink an always-on context file that has gotten too big. `/trim <file>` walks the reduction, safest cuts first, never dropping a rule.

## Workflow Routing

| Trigger | Workflow |
|---------|----------|
| `/trim <file>`, "trim OPERATIONAL_RULES", "this file is too big", "reduce a doctrine file", "fold the proposal inbox" | `Workflows/Trim.md` |

## Quick Reference

Overview

Shrink an always-on context file that has gotten too big. /trim <file> walks the reduction, safest cuts first, never dropping a rule.

Example prompts

/trim OPERATIONAL_RULES

/trim
# → no arg: wc -c the always-on set, take the largest, then the same walkthrough

Manual install (npx, ZIP)

Claude Codenpx skills add danielmiessler/LifeOS --skill Trim -g -a claude-code

Claude Code (degit)npx degit danielmiessler/LifeOS/LifeOS/install/skills/Trim#main ~/.claude/skills/trim

Claude.ai / desktopZip the folder and upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

Codex, Cursor, other agentsPoint them at SKILL.md. The other files are plain text.

Connects with Agent Alley MCP · agentalley.io/mcp

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Trim

Shrink an always-on context file that has gotten too big. /trim <file> walks the reduction, safest cuts first, never dropping a rule.

Workflow Routing

Trigger	Workflow
`/trim <file>`, "trim OPERATIONAL_RULES", "this file is too big", "reduce a doctrine file", "fold the proposal inbox"	`Workflows/Trim.md`

Quick Reference

Target resolution: a bare name (OPERATIONAL_RULES) resolves against the always-on set — the system prompt, CLAUDE.md, its @-imports, and the hook-injected memory files. No arg → wc -c that set and take the largest.
Order is safest-first: (1) show state, (2) deterministic GC (zero-risk), (3) semantic trims (human-gated), (4) safety gate, (5) re-measure. Full steps: Workflows/Trim.md.
One tool it orchestrates — never reimplement: LIFEOS/TOOLS/ProposalGC.ts (removes superseded/duplicate/absorbed entries). Sizes come from wc -c.
Three semantic moves: MERGE overlapping rules, TIGHTEN verbose ones, RELOCATE rarely-used detail to an on-demand reference (leave a stub + pointer).
The invariant: a trim never drops a distinct directive. If a merge would, keep the original.

Gotchas

USER files commit to the USER_DATA repo, not ~/.claude. LIFEOS/USER/** (OPERATIONAL_RULES, PROJECTS, the identity files) is a symlink into a separate private repo. Commit with git -C ~/.config/LIFEOS/USER …. A ~/.claude commit captures nothing under LIFEOS/USER/ — a false safety net.
The file can change mid-edit. The autonomic memory loop appends proposals to these files while you work. If a Write/Edit reports "modified since read", RE-READ before writing — a concurrent correction may have landed (this is how a real deploy-command fix was nearly reverted). Never write from a stale read.
Semantic merges must never drop a directive. Before applying any merge/tighten, confirm every proper noun, path, tool name, and imperative from the originals survives in the result. If one is missing, the merge is wrong — keep the original. Deterministic GC (superseded/dup/absorbed) is always safe; semantic edits are the risky class.
bun/bunx only, never npm/npx.
Deterministic first, always. Run ProposalGC before proposing any semantic edit — the free, zero-risk removals often clear enough that no judgment-call edit is needed.

Examples

/trim OPERATIONAL_RULES
# → shows 40,456 B → ProposalGC dry-run (0 removable) → ranks semantic trims (fold the
#   40-entry proposal tail, relocate skill-scoped directives to a reference)
#   → applies approved ones behind the safety gate → commits to USER_DATA → 28,043 B (−31%)

/trim
# → no arg: wc -c the always-on set, take the largest, then the same walkthrough

Execution Log

After completing the workflow, append a single JSONL entry:

echo '{"ts":"'$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)'","skill":"Trim","workflow":"Trim","input":"8_WORD_SUMMARY","status":"ok|error","duration_s":SECONDS}' >> ~/.claude/LIFEOS/MEMORY/SKILLS/execution.jsonl

1	---
2	name: Trim
3	version: 1.0.4
4	description: "Reduces an always-on LifeOS context file that has grown too big via a human-gated pass — deterministic GC of stale entries first, then semantic merges and relocations — never dropping a directive and committing every change reversibly. USE WHEN /trim, trim the context, trim OPERATIONAL_RULES, this file is too big, reduce a doctrine file, prune an always-loaded file, fold the proposal inbox, shrink CLAUDE.md or DA_IDENTITY. NOT FOR general code refactoring, trimming video or audio media (use AudioEditor for audio files), or removing AI writing patterns from prose."
5	---
6
7	# Trim
8
9	Shrink an always-on context file that has gotten too big. `/trim <file>` walks the reduction, safest cuts first, never dropping a rule.
10
11	## Workflow Routing
12
13	\| Trigger \| Workflow \|
14	\|---------\|----------\|
15	\| `/trim <file>`, "trim OPERATIONAL_RULES", "this file is too big", "reduce a doctrine file", "fold the proposal inbox" \| `Workflows/Trim.md` \|
16
17	## Quick Reference
18
19	- Target resolution: a bare name (`OPERATIONAL_RULES`) resolves against the always-on set — the system prompt, `CLAUDE.md`, its `@`-imports, and the hook-injected memory files. No arg → `wc -c` that set and take the largest.
20	- Order is safest-first: (1) show state, (2) deterministic GC (zero-risk), (3) semantic trims (human-gated), (4) safety gate, (5) re-measure. Full steps: `Workflows/Trim.md`.
21	- One tool it orchestrates — never reimplement: `LIFEOS/TOOLS/ProposalGC.ts` (removes superseded/duplicate/absorbed entries). Sizes come from `wc -c`.
22	- Three semantic moves: MERGE overlapping rules, TIGHTEN verbose ones, RELOCATE rarely-used detail to an on-demand reference (leave a stub + pointer).
23	- The invariant: a trim never drops a distinct directive. If a merge would, keep the original.
24
25	## Gotchas
26
27	- USER files commit to the USER_DATA repo, not `~/.claude`. `LIFEOS/USER/**` (OPERATIONAL_RULES, PROJECTS, the identity files) is a symlink into a separate private repo. Commit with `git -C ~/.config/LIFEOS/USER …`. A `~/.claude` commit captures nothing under `LIFEOS/USER/` — a false safety net.
28	- The file can change mid-edit. The autonomic memory loop appends proposals to these files while you work. If a Write/Edit reports "modified since read", RE-READ before writing — a concurrent correction may have landed (this is how a real deploy-command fix was nearly reverted). Never write from a stale read.
29	- Semantic merges must never drop a directive. Before applying any merge/tighten, confirm every proper noun, path, tool name, and imperative from the originals survives in the result. If one is missing, the merge is wrong — keep the original. Deterministic GC (superseded/dup/absorbed) is always safe; semantic edits are the risky class.
30	- `bun`/`bunx` only, never `npm`/`npx`.
31	- Deterministic first, always. Run ProposalGC before proposing any semantic edit — the free, zero-risk removals often clear enough that no judgment-call edit is needed.
32
33	## Examples
34
35	```
36	/trim OPERATIONAL_RULES
37	# → shows 40,456 B → ProposalGC dry-run (0 removable) → ranks semantic trims (fold the
38	# 40-entry proposal tail, relocate skill-scoped directives to a reference)
39	# → applies approved ones behind the safety gate → commits to USER_DATA → 28,043 B (−31%)
40
41	/trim
42	# → no arg: wc -c the always-on set, take the largest, then the same walkthrough
43	```
44
45	## Execution Log
46
47	After completing the workflow, append a single JSONL entry:
48
49	```bash
50	echo '{"ts":"'$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)'","skill":"Trim","workflow":"Trim","input":"8_WORD_SUMMARY","status":"ok\|error","duration_s":SECONDS}' >> ~/.claude/LIFEOS/MEMORY/SKILLS/execution.jsonl
51	```
52