What should you record to continue work after the context is shortened?
Answer out loud or in your head first, then compare.
Answer
I record the goal, important constraints, completed steps, results and things still to check. I add references to files or records instead of copying their whole contents. For performed actions I store their identifiers and confirmations.
A new session mustn't treat an already-saved operation as not done and repeat it without checking. A text summary helps, but it can miss things, so an important status should also have an unambiguous record in the program or database. Before continuing, I check whether the repo or document has changed in the meantime. A summary isn't a newer source of truth than the actual state of the environment.
Why it matters: Practical context management for longer work.
Possible follow-ups: How do you notice that a note from the previous session is out of date?
How did it go? Be honest — “Not yet” puts the question on your review list.
Start with
- H-P01 · How does an AI agent differ from a plain model call? — Agents and workflows
- H-P02 · What is a workflow, i.e. a fixed sequence of work? — Agents and workflows
Further reading
- Anthropic: Effective context engineering for AI agents(opens in a new tab)29.09.2025. Choosing context, limits, and references instead of blindly growing the input.