Context Visualization

Visualize the current context window usage — token estimates per component (system prompt, tools, workspace files, messages, free space). Use when the user a...

Estimate and display a breakdown of the current context window usage.

How It Works

Run the bundled script to estimate token counts for workspace files:

python3 scripts/estimate_tokens.py /path/to/workspace

The script counts characters in known workspace files and estimates tokens (~4 chars/token).

Then call session_status to get the actual context usage from OpenClaw.

Generating the Visualization

1. Run session_status to get: model, context used/total, compactions
2. Run scripts/estimate_tokens.py <workspace_path> to estimate file token sizes
3. Estimate message tokens: context_used - system_overhead - file_tokens
4. Present the breakdown using the format below

Output Format

Use a monospace block with bar chart. Adapt the bar lengths proportionally.

📊 Context Usage
<model> • <used>k/<total>k tokens (<pct>%)

Component                    Tokens    %     
─────────────────────────────────────────────
⚙️  System prompt + tools    ~Xk      X%    ░░
📋  AGENTS.md                ~Xk      X%    ░
👻  SOUL.md                  ~Xk      X%    
👤  USER.md                  ~Xk      X%    
🔧  TOOLS.md                 ~Xk      X%    ░
💓  HEARTBEAT.md             ~Xk      X%    
🧠  MEMORY.md                ~Xk      X%    ░
🪪  IDENTITY.md              ~Xk      X%    
💬  Messages                 ~Xk      X%    ░░░░░░░░░░░░
📭  Free space               ~Xk      X%    ░░░░░
─────────────────────────────────────────────

Use ░ blocks: 1 block per ~2% of total context. Round to nearest block.

Memory Inventory (not in context)

Below the context chart, add a Memory on Disk section showing what's stored in memory/ — grouped by category. These files are NOT loaded into context but represent the agent's total knowledge base.

💾 Memory on Disk (not in context)
Category                     Files  Tokens   Size
──────────────────────────────────────────────────
📰  chinese-ai-digests        12    ~23k     92KB
📁  other                     11    ~12k     46KB
📅  daily-notes                9    ~5k      17KB
🗃️  zettelkasten               8    ~4k      15KB
💼  linkedin                   2    ~1k       5KB
──────────────────────────────────────────────────
     Total:                   42    ~44k    177KB

The script auto-categorizes files by directory or filename pattern.

Notes

• Token estimates use ~4 chars/token (rough average for English/mixed content)
• System prompt + tools overhead is estimated at ~8-10k tokens for a typical OpenClaw setup
• Message tokens are the remainder after subtracting files + system overhead
• Memory files are informational only — they show what the agent has accumulated
• For Discord/WhatsApp: skip markdown tables, use the block format above