Command reference Β· Claude Code
/context
Visualizes current context usage as a colored grid with optimization suggestions.
/context shows the current context window usage as a colored grid, broken down by categories such as system prompt, loaded MCP tools and skills, CLAUDE.md files, auto-memory entries, and conversation history. The command also provides optimization suggestions, such as which tools consume particularly much context or where memory files are bloated, and shows which CLAUDE.md and auto-memory files were actually loaded.
In fullscreen rendering mode, /context collapses the detailed breakdown by default to keep the grid readable; the all argument expands it again. If the conversation exceeds the context window limit, the output also shows a warning with the exact amount of the overrun and the command to free up space again.
The command itself doesn't change anything about the context - it's a purely diagnostic view. /compact (summarize) or /clear (start over) are responsible for actually freeing up context.
π¬ AS A SHORT VIDEO
Visualizes current context usage as a colored grid with optimization suggestions.
π THE SAME TASK (βVISUALIZE CONTEXT USAGEβ) ON OTHER PLATFORMS
β WHEN TO USE IT?
Check how much context is still free before continuing a long session
/context all for the detailed breakdown by category
Find the cause of unusually high context usage
/context to identify context-intensive tools or bloated memory files
β WHEN NOT TO?
Wanting to actually free up context
/context only displays usage but doesn't change the context itself
Better: use /compact to summarize the conversation and free up context, or /clear for a complete restart
Estimating the context usage of a planned task in advance, before it has even started
/context shows only the usage already incurred by the running session, not a forecast for future steps
Better: break the task into smaller steps and check /context again along the way
SOURCES
- Claude Code docs (official) β code.claude.com
MORE COMMANDS Β· Claude Code