> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.kombai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Compaction

Longer conversations in a single thread can exceed the model’s context window, leaving you unable to continue with that thread.

Compaction solves this by condensing older messages in a thread into a high-density summary. This immediately restores available tokens upto a certain extent, letting you continue with the thread for a longer period of time. It also allows the Agent to focus fully on your most recent queries while maintaining a clear understanding of the thread history.

## When is compaction triggered

Kombai monitors your context usage in a thread and dynamically decides the best points to compact context. Below are two common scenarios when Kombai will trigger compaction automatically:

* **Context window saturation:** When the thread consumes the majority (typically above 90%) of the available context window.

* **Cache expiry:** To optimize costs, Kombai auto-compacts the thread when the cache is close to expiring and context usage is at 50-60%. Some examples of cache expiry include switching the **model** and changing the **thinking effort**.

<Note>If you edit or restore a message, the previous compaction is reset, which may temporarily increase context usage. As you continue the conversation, Kombai will re-evaluate and trigger compaction again if necessary.</Note>

## How context is managed

The context window is shared across several elements beyond your message history:

* **Infrastructure overhead:** Tools, system prompts, skills, and RAG attachments typically occupy 15–35% of the window, depending on your tech stack.

* **Persistent rules:** Project and User Rules are never compacted. They remain in their full form to ensure the Agent strictly adheres to your constraints at all times.

## Toggle auto-compaction

Compaction is enabled by default. If you prefer to manage the context window manually, you can disable the **Auto compact threads** toggle under the **General settings** tab of the [Settings](/account/settings) page.

## Manually compact a thread

You can trigger compaction at any time by clicking the <Icon icon="ellipsis" size={20} /> icon at the end of your thread and selecting **Compact thread**.

## Why compact a thread

1. **Extended conversations:** Restore available tokens to maintain a single, continuous thread for long-term projects.

2. **Optimized performance:** Experience faster response times as compaction will reduce the massive overhead of uncompressed history.

3. **Preserved context:** Retain critical information and decision points through intelligent summarization while discarding redundant data.

4. **Cost efficiency:** Dramatically reduce token consumption in API calls by compressing the massive context.