# A note on Context Windows

DevFeed: [A note on Context Windows](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/a-note-on-context-windows-25673.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://blog.sanskar10100.dev/a-note-on-context-windows>)

Author: Sanskar Agrawal

Published: 2026-07-03T12:39:24Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Sanskar's Stuff](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/sanskar-s-stuff.md>)

Topics: [context window](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/context-window.md>), [long-context](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/long-context.md>), [Claude Code](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/claude-code.md>), [codex](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/codex.md>), [Claude](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/claude.md>)

Tags: [agents](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/agents.md>), [claude](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/claude.md>), [claude-code](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/claude-code.md>), [codex](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/codex.md>), [context](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/context.md>), [context-window](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/context-window.md>), [cost](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/cost.md>), [developers](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/developers.md>), [mcps](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/mcps.md>), [retrieval](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/retrieval.md>), [skills](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/skills.md>), [terminal](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/terminal.md>)

## AI overview

This opinion article discusses context-window management in long agent conversations. It argues that auto-compaction may occur too late, retrieval quality can decline as context grows, and larger contexts cost more. It recommends monitoring context usage, starting new conversations, keeping concise project instructions, limiting MCPs, skills and subagents, and using subagents to reduce context inflation.

## Source excerpt

In long agent conversations, Developers often lose track of how much context has been used. Tools like Claude Code or Codex have auto-compaction built in, but they compact too late. Opus 4.8 has a mil