Context Anchor Skill
Helps agents recover context after compaction by scanning memory files and generating a "here's where you are" briefing.
Why This Exists
Context compaction loses memory. Files survive. But after waking up fresh, you need to:
- Know what you were working on
- See decisions that were made
- Find open loops that need closing
- Get oriented fast
This skill automates that recovery.
Quick Start
# Full briefing (default)
./scripts/anchor.sh
# Just show current task
./scripts/anchor.sh --task
# Just show active context files
./scripts/anchor.sh --active
# Just show recent decisions
./scripts/anchor.sh --decisions
# Show open loops / questions
./scripts/anchor.sh --loops
# Scan specific number of days back
./scripts/anchor.sh --days 3
What It Scans
| Source | What It Extracts |
|---|---|
memory/current-task.md |
Current task status, blockers, next steps |
memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md |
Recent daily logs (last 2 days by default) |
context/active/*.md |
In-progress task files |
| Daily logs | Decisions (lines with "Decision:", "Decided:", "✅") |
| Daily logs | Open loops (lines with "?", "TODO:", "Blocker:", "Need to") |
Output Format
The script outputs a structured briefing:
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
CONTEXT ANCHOR
Where You Left Off
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
📋 CURRENT TASK
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
[Contents of memory/current-task.md or "No current task set"]
📂 ACTIVE CONTEXT FILES
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
• context/active/project-name.md (updated 2h ago)
└─ First line preview...
🎯 RECENT DECISIONS (last 2 days)
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
[2026-01-30] Decision: Use Cloudflare Pages for hosting
[2026-01-30] ✅ Completed email capture setup
❓ OPEN LOOPS
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
[2026-01-30] Need to enable SFTP on NAS
[2026-01-30] TODO: Create Product Hunt account
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Integration with AGENTS.md
Add to your "Every Session" routine:
## Every Session
Before doing anything else:
1. Run `./skills/context-anchor/scripts/anchor.sh` for orientation
2. Read `SOUL.md` — this is who you are
3. Read `USER.md` — this is who you're helping
...
Or use it manually when you feel lost about context.
Customization
Change workspace root
WORKSPACE=/path/to/workspace ./scripts/anchor.sh
Change days to scan
./scripts/anchor.sh --days 5 # Scan 5 days back
No Dependencies
Pure bash. Uses only:
find,grep,head,tail,date,stat- Works on macOS and Linux
- No external tools required
When to Use
- Session start: Quick orientation on what's happening
- After compaction: Recover lost context
- Feeling lost: "Wait, what was I doing?"
- Handoff: Show another agent where things stand
- Daily review: See what decisions were made