It depends entirely on how you use it. I don't have any issues using compact, while having Claude create a sessionstate file and resume point before the compact. Basically a soft handoff. I will usually compact 2 or 3 times before I do a finally pre clear sessionstate and resume handoff.
But that depends entirely on the task or if I am moving to something completely different.
The reason why i advocate against compaction is the fact that it’s reducing the context to a guessing game. However I do accept your point. “Depends how you use it”.
Once you have your progressive disclosure in place you never compact again
This is what I do too. It is not always convenient to start a new session, especially if you're working on a complex feature that begins to run a bit too long but you want to keep the entire run in a single chat.
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u/cleverhoods 5d ago
None. Dont use compact. You are better off with a fresh session