git:20260318.0cef0e6 to git:20260416.e719523

9 added, 10 removed. Audit A to A.

---

name: hive.context-preservation

- description: Proactively preserve critical information before automatic context pruning destroys it.

+ description: Proactively extract critical values from tool results into working notes before automatic context pruning destroys them.

metadata:

author: hive

type: default-skill

---

## Operational Protocol: Context Preservation

- You operate under a finite context window. Important information WILL be pruned.

+ You operate under a finite context window. Older tool results WILL be pruned. Extract what you need while it's still in context.

- Save-As-You-Go: After any tool call producing information you'll need later,

- immediately extract key data into `_working_notes` or `_preserved_data`.

- Do NOT rely on referring back to old tool results.

+ **Save-as-you-go.** After any tool call producing information you'll need later, immediately extract the key data into `_working_notes` or `_preserved_data`. Do not rely on referring back to old tool results — once they're pruned they're gone.

- What to extract: URLs and key snippets (not full pages), relevant API fields

- (not raw JSON), specific lines/values (not entire files), analysis results

- (not raw data).

+ **What to extract:**

+ - URLs and key snippets (not full pages)

+ - Relevant API fields (not raw JSON blobs)

+ - Specific lines, values, or IDs (not entire files)

+ - Analysis conclusions (not raw data)

- Before transitioning to the next phase/node, write a handoff summary to

- `_handoff_context` with everything the next phase needs to know.

+ **Handoffs between tasks** happen through `progress.db`, not through shared-buffer handoff blobs. When you finish a task, any state the next worker needs goes into the task row itself (`steps.evidence`, `tasks.last_error`, `sop_checklist.note`) — see `hive.colony-progress-tracker`. Use `_working_notes` for things the DB schema doesn't cover.

You will receive an alert when context reaches {{warn_at_usage_ratio_pct}}% — preserve immediately.