Three-Layer Compression Hierarchy
- Entity ID:
ent-20260419-186821584a17 - Type:
concept - Scope:
shared - Status:
active - Aliases: MicroCompact / AutoCompact / Reactive, compression levels
Description
Three-level context compression hierarchy triggered by budget usage. MicroCompact (~80%): zero-API-call direct cache edit, trims old tool outputs and strips is_ephemeral=true tools. AutoCompact (~90%): one Sonnet call for a structured summary; strips Claude's own reasoning. Reactive (~95%): one Opus call producing a full conversation digest + reset. User messages and 'critical instructions' survive all three levels — the architectural basis for the Straiker compaction-persistence attack.
Key claims
- Compaction hierarchy: 80% / 90% / 95% triggers, 0 / 1 / 1 API calls
- Compaction preservation semantics enable the Straiker persistence attack
- Dream Memory triggers on inactivity, not context pressure
- Micro-compact removes incorporated tool_use blocks at 85%
Relations
- Three-Layer Compression Hierarchy --[contains]--> Auto-Compact
- Three-Layer Compression Hierarchy --[related_to]--> Compaction Pipeline