Context Window Budgeting: Making every token count
blaizedsouza · x · 2026-08-20
Agents often fail when the context window fills with noise. This post proposes a context budgeting strategy:
- Reserve space for system rules first.
- Keep the user goal short and stable.
- Cap retrieved memory by relevance.
- Truncate tool results before they explode—this is often where waste hides.
- Always leave room for the final answer.
- Measure which section wastes the most tokens.
Core principle: Treat the context window as a scarce resource, not a dumping ground.
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