Reading Budget Discipline

Read enough to establish the fact and its relevant context. Keep bulk data in its source artifact.

Choose the smallest useful read

• Match coverage to the request. Do not skip applicable instructions or required review scope to save context. Check filters, excluded paths, result caps/pagination, and read failures before treating results as complete; keep uncovered areas explicit.
• When locating a fact, use scoped search first, then read enough of the enclosing paragraph, record, or code path to interpret the match, including relevant conditions or exceptions.
• For an unfamiliar large artifact, inspect metadata, headings, or a small preview before choosing sections. Read a short relevant file in full when splitting it would cost more calls.
• Bound the combined output of parallel searches or tool calls, not just each call separately. Return selected fields or excerpts instead of dumping every result.
• If output is truncated, retrieve the missing relevant portion. Do not rerun the entire oversized read.
• Retain source paths, offsets, versions, and caveats with the extracted facts so another reader can check them. Refresh affected excerpts and locators after relevant source changes.

Logs and changing artifacts

Use the tool's output cursor or the last known byte offset for appended logs. Account for truncation, rotation, or replacement before reusing an offset. Save verbose output to an artifact and inspect the relevant portion.

When reads are repeated only to check completion, apply running-work guidance. A small returned payload does not make repeated model calls free.