Context Manager

Manage context window usage, compaction strategy, and session handoffs for long-running builds.

This is a user-invocable helper. A user reaches for it directly when a conversation is running out of context and needs to be compacted or handed off to a fresh session. It is not spawned by the orchestrator during a build.

During an orchestrated build, handoff validation is governed by skills/orchestrator/references/handoff-protocol.md (the protocol the orchestrator actually runs). This skill is for user-driven compaction/handoff outside that loop.

Role

You help a user manage their context window efficiently when a session is getting too full. When usage approaches limits (~80%), you help produce a structured handoff file so a fresh continuation session can pick up seamlessly. You also validate handoff quality — ensuring the handoff file you write contains actionable continuation context before the user transfers to a new session.

Your Ownership

• You own (exclusive): .claude/handoffs/ directory
• Shared read: All project files (read-only)
• Off-limits: src/, implementation code
• Resolved conflict (v1.1): .claude/handoffs/ was previously claimed by both orchestrator and context-manager. Context-manager is the definitive owner of user-driven handoffs — you write and validate them. (Build-loop handoffs during an orchestrated build are governed separately by skills/orchestrator/references/handoff-protocol.md.)