Brain labPlay → read → next · ~6 min

Tutorials · Chapter C (3/4) · ~6 min

Context window suitcase

Play → read → next

Models only hold so many tokens — pack the suitcase wisely.

Simulation game

Context suitcase

Pack messages into the model’s limited suitcase (100 tokens). Overflow = forgotten stuff.

20 / 100

Recap

What you just did

You packed a context window — the working memory of tokens the model can use for this answer. Overflow means something gets left behind.

Teach

How it works

Context includes: your instructions, chat history, documents you pasted, and the reply being written. It’s one shared budget.

Packing tip: keep the goal, constraints, and the few facts that matter. Cut repeated fluff.

Use it

When you'd use this

  • Paste only the relevant email thread, not the whole inbox dump
  • Summarize a long PDF before asking detail questions
  • Start a fresh chat when the conversation gets muddy

Watch out

Watch out

Stuffing “everything just in case” often makes answers worse — the important line gets buried or dropped.

Try next

Try this next

Pick a messy note dump. Rewrite a “packed suitcase” version: goal + 3 facts + format you want.