Lesson 3 · Context skill
The whole folder
is not the context.
Good context is current, relevant, minimal, and explained.
Context is a decision.
Workspace agents are useful because they can inspect project files. That does not mean every file belongs in every task. More context can add contradictions, outdated instructions, sensitive data, and distraction.
For each source, ask four questions:
- Relevant: can it materially change this result?
- Current: is it the approved or latest version?
- Necessary: can the task succeed without exposing it?
- Interpretable: have I said what the agent should take from it?
The workspace boundary is both a quality control and a privacy control.
Exercise · Build the context set
Prepare a Q2 steering update.
The brief asks for current performance, delivery against the approved plan, and this week's decisions. Select the smallest sufficient set.
Workspace boundary
Files the agent may inspect- No context selected yet.
Durable instructions are different.
Task context changes. Team conventions often do not. In Codex, a concise AGENTS.md can hold repository layout, verification commands, conventions, and “do not” rules. Claude Code uses CLAUDE.md for a similar purpose. Keep durable guidance short and based on real repeated friction.
Have a question? Ask your AI teacher to audit the context set for one of your real workflows.