🤖 feat: force compaction when approaching context limit

Add force compaction that triggers automatically when live token usage
approaches the context window limit during streaming. This prevents the
AI from hitting context limit errors mid-response.

Key changes:

1. Auto-compaction check extended with shouldForceCompact flag
   - Uses liveUsage (real-time streaming) or falls back to lastUsage
   - Triggers when remaining tokens <= FORCE_COMPACTION_TOKEN_BUFFER
   - Works even with empty usageHistory (first message streaming)

2. AIView triggers force compaction during active streams
   - Tracks triggered stream to prevent duplicate compactions
   - Sends compaction request with 'Continue with current task' message

3. Queue restore moved from stream-abort to IPC interrupt handler
   - Prevents continueMessage from bouncing back to input on internal aborts
   - User-initiated interrupts still restore queued messages to input

4. Shared constants for compaction parameters
   - DEFAULT_COMPACTION_WORD_TARGET = 2000
   - WORDS_TO_TOKENS_RATIO = 1.3
   - FORCE_COMPACTION_TOKEN_BUFFER = 5200 (2x expected output)

Author: ethanndickson

bun.lock

@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import { evictModelFromLRU } from "@/browser/hooks/useModelLRU";
 import { QueuedMessage } from "./Messages/QueuedMessage";
 import { CompactionWarning } from "./CompactionWarning";
 import { checkAutoCompaction } from "@/browser/utils/compaction/autoCompactionCheck";
+import { executeCompaction } from "@/browser/utils/chatCommands";
 import { useProviderOptions } from "@/browser/hooks/useProviderOptions";
 import { useAutoCompactionSettings } from "../hooks/useAutoCompactionSettings";
 import { useSendMessageOptions } from "@/browser/hooks/useSendMessageOptions";
@@ -120,6 +121,67 @@ const AIViewInner: React.FC<AIViewProps> = ({
     undefined
   );
 
+  // Use send options for auto-compaction check
+  const pendingSendOptions = useSendMessageOptions(workspaceId);
+
+  // Track if we've already triggered force compaction for this stream
+  const forceCompactionTriggeredRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
+
+    // Extract state from workspace state
+  const { messages, canInterrupt, isCompacting, loading, currentModel } = workspaceState;
+
+  // Get active stream message ID for token counting
+  const activeStreamMessageId = aggregator.getActiveStreamMessageId();
+
+  // Use pending send model for auto-compaction check, not the last stream's model.
+  // This ensures the threshold is based on the model the user will actually send with,
+  // preventing context-length errors when switching from a large-context to smaller model.
+  const pendingModel = pendingSendOptions.model;
+
+  const autoCompactionResult = checkAutoCompaction(
+    workspaceUsage,
+    pendingModel,
+    use1M,
+    autoCompactionEnabled,
+    autoCompactionThreshold / 100
+  );
+
+  // Show warning when: shouldShowWarning flag is true AND not currently compacting
+  const shouldShowCompactionWarning = !isCompacting && autoCompactionResult.shouldShowWarning;
+
+  // Force compaction when live usage shows we're about to hit context limit
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (
+      !autoCompactionResult.shouldForceCompact ||
+      !canInterrupt ||
+      isCompacting ||
+      forceCompactionTriggeredRef.current === activeStreamMessageId
+    ) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    forceCompactionTriggeredRef.current = activeStreamMessageId ?? null;
+    void executeCompaction({
+      workspaceId,
+      sendMessageOptions: pendingSendOptions,
+      continueMessage: { text: "Continue with the current task" },
+    });
+  }, [
+    autoCompactionResult.shouldForceCompact,
+    canInterrupt,
+    isCompacting,
+    activeStreamMessageId,
+    workspaceId,
+    pendingSendOptions,
+  ]);
+
+  // Reset force compaction trigger when stream ends
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!canInterrupt) {
+      forceCompactionTriggeredRef.current = null;
+    }
+  }, [canInterrupt]);
+
   // Auto-retry state - minimal setter for keybinds and message sent handler
   // RetryBarrier manages its own state, but we need this for interrupt keybind
   const [, setAutoRetry] = usePersistedState<boolean>(
@@ -144,9 +206,6 @@ const AIViewInner: React.FC<AIViewProps> = ({
     markUserInteraction,
   } = useAutoScroll();
 
-  // Use send options for auto-compaction check
-  const pendingSendOptions = useSendMessageOptions(workspaceId);
-
   // ChatInput API for focus management
   const chatInputAPI = useRef<ChatInputAPI | null>(null);
   const handleChatInputReady = useCallback((api: ChatInputAPI) => {
@@ -329,28 +388,6 @@ const AIViewInner: React.FC<AIViewProps> = ({
     );
   }
 
-  // Extract state from workspace state
-  const { messages, canInterrupt, isCompacting, loading, currentModel } = workspaceState;
-
-  // Get active stream message ID for token counting
-  const activeStreamMessageId = aggregator.getActiveStreamMessageId();
-
-  // Use pending send model for auto-compaction check, not the last stream's model.
-  // This ensures the threshold is based on the model the user will actually send with,
-  // preventing context-length errors when switching from a large-context to smaller model.
-  const pendingModel = pendingSendOptions.model;
-
-  const autoCompactionResult = checkAutoCompaction(
-    workspaceUsage,
-    pendingModel,
-    use1M,
-    autoCompactionEnabled,
-    autoCompactionThreshold / 100
-  );
-
-  // Show warning when: shouldShowWarning flag is true AND not currently compacting
-  const shouldShowCompactionWarning = !isCompacting && autoCompactionResult.shouldShowWarning;
-
   // Note: We intentionally do NOT reset autoRetry when streams start.
   // If user pressed the interrupt key, autoRetry stays false until they manually retry.
   // This makes state transitions explicit and predictable.

src/browser/components/AIView.tsx

@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ import { resolveCompactionModel } from "@/browser/utils/messages/compactionModel
 import type { ImageAttachment } from "../components/ImageAttachments";
 import { dispatchWorkspaceSwitch } from "./workspaceEvents";
 import { getRuntimeKey, copyWorkspaceStorage } from "@/common/constants/storage";
+import {
+  DEFAULT_COMPACTION_WORD_TARGET,
+  WORDS_TO_TOKENS_RATIO,
+} from "@/common/constants/ui";
 
 // ============================================================================
 // Workspace Creation
@@ -572,7 +576,9 @@ export function prepareCompactionMessage(options: CompactionOptions): {
   metadata: MuxFrontendMetadata;
   sendOptions: SendMessageOptions;
 } {
-  const targetWords = options.maxOutputTokens ? Math.round(options.maxOutputTokens / 1.3) : 2000;
+  const targetWords = options.maxOutputTokens
+    ? Math.round(options.maxOutputTokens / WORDS_TO_TOKENS_RATIO)
+    : DEFAULT_COMPACTION_WORD_TARGET;
 
   // Build compaction message with optional continue context
   let messageText = `Summarize this conversation into a compact form for a new Assistant to continue helping the user. Focus entirely on the summary of what has happened. Do not suggest next steps or future actions. Use approximately ${targetWords} words.`;

src/browser/utils/chatCommands.ts

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { checkAutoCompaction } from "./autoCompactionCheck";
 import type { WorkspaceUsageState } from "@/browser/stores/WorkspaceStore";
 import type { ChatUsageDisplay } from "@/common/utils/tokens/usageAggregator";
 import { KNOWN_MODELS } from "@/common/constants/knownModels";
+import { FORCE_COMPACTION_TOKEN_BUFFER } from "@/common/constants/ui";
 
 // Helper to create a mock usage entry
 const createUsageEntry = (
@@ -28,7 +29,8 @@ const createUsageEntry = (
 const createMockUsage = (
   lastEntryTokens: number,
   historicalTokens?: number,
-  model: string = KNOWN_MODELS.SONNET.id
+  model: string = KNOWN_MODELS.SONNET.id,
+  liveUsage?: ChatUsageDisplay
 ): WorkspaceUsageState => {
   const usageHistory: ChatUsageDisplay[] = [];
 
@@ -40,7 +42,7 @@ const createMockUsage = (
   // Add recent usage
   usageHistory.push(createUsageEntry(lastEntryTokens, model));
 
-  return { usageHistory, totalTokens: 0 };
+  return { usageHistory, totalTokens: 0, liveUsage };
 };
 
 describe("checkAutoCompaction", () => {
@@ -297,4 +299,77 @@ describe("checkAutoCompaction", () => {
       expect(result.shouldShowWarning).toBe(true); // Above 60%
     });
   });
+
+  describe("Force Compaction (Live Usage)", () => {
+    const SONNET_MAX_TOKENS = 200_000;
+    const BUFFER = FORCE_COMPACTION_TOKEN_BUFFER;
+
+    test("shouldForceCompact is false when no liveUsage (falls back to lastUsage with room)", () => {
+      const usage = createMockUsage(100_000); // 100k remaining - plenty of room
+      const result = checkAutoCompaction(usage, KNOWN_MODELS.SONNET.id, false, true);
+
+      expect(result.shouldForceCompact).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    test("shouldForceCompact is false when currentUsage has plenty of room", () => {
+      const liveUsage = createUsageEntry(100_000); // 100k remaining
+      const usage = createMockUsage(50_000, undefined, KNOWN_MODELS.SONNET.id, liveUsage);
+      const result = checkAutoCompaction(usage, KNOWN_MODELS.SONNET.id, false, true);
+
+      expect(result.shouldForceCompact).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    test("shouldForceCompact is true when remaining <= buffer", () => {
+      // Exactly at buffer threshold
+      const liveUsage = createUsageEntry(SONNET_MAX_TOKENS - BUFFER);
+      const usage = createMockUsage(50_000, undefined, KNOWN_MODELS.SONNET.id, liveUsage);
+      const result = checkAutoCompaction(usage, KNOWN_MODELS.SONNET.id, false, true);
+
+      expect(result.shouldForceCompact).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    test("shouldForceCompact is true when over context limit", () => {
+      const liveUsage = createUsageEntry(SONNET_MAX_TOKENS + 5000);
+      const usage = createMockUsage(50_000, undefined, KNOWN_MODELS.SONNET.id, liveUsage);
+      const result = checkAutoCompaction(usage, KNOWN_MODELS.SONNET.id, false, true);
+
+      expect(result.shouldForceCompact).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    test("shouldForceCompact is false when just above buffer", () => {
+      // 1 token above buffer threshold
+      const liveUsage = createUsageEntry(SONNET_MAX_TOKENS - BUFFER - 1);
+      const usage = createMockUsage(50_000, undefined, KNOWN_MODELS.SONNET.id, liveUsage);
+      const result = checkAutoCompaction(usage, KNOWN_MODELS.SONNET.id, false, true);
+
+      expect(result.shouldForceCompact).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    test("shouldForceCompact respects 1M context mode", () => {
+      // With 1M context, exactly at buffer threshold
+      const liveUsage = createUsageEntry(1_000_000 - BUFFER);
+      const usage = createMockUsage(50_000, undefined, KNOWN_MODELS.SONNET.id, liveUsage);
+      const result = checkAutoCompaction(usage, KNOWN_MODELS.SONNET.id, true, true);
+
+      expect(result.shouldForceCompact).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    test("shouldForceCompact triggers with empty history but liveUsage near limit", () => {
+      // Bug fix: empty history but liveUsage should still trigger
+      const liveUsage = createUsageEntry(SONNET_MAX_TOKENS - BUFFER);
+      const usage: WorkspaceUsageState = { usageHistory: [], totalTokens: 0, liveUsage };
+      const result = checkAutoCompaction(usage, KNOWN_MODELS.SONNET.id, false, true);
+
+      expect(result.shouldForceCompact).toBe(true);
+      expect(result.usagePercentage).toBe(0); // No lastUsage for percentage
+    });
+
+    test("shouldForceCompact is false when auto-compaction disabled", () => {
+      const liveUsage = createUsageEntry(199_000); // Very close to limit
+      const usage = createMockUsage(50_000, undefined, KNOWN_MODELS.SONNET.id, liveUsage);
+      const result = checkAutoCompaction(usage, KNOWN_MODELS.SONNET.id, false, false); // disabled
+
+      expect(result.shouldForceCompact).toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
 });

src/browser/utils/compaction/autoCompactionCheck.test.ts

@@ -16,12 +16,29 @@
  */
 
 import type { WorkspaceUsageState } from "@/browser/stores/WorkspaceStore";
+import type { ChatUsageDisplay } from "@/common/utils/tokens/usageAggregator";
 import { getModelStats } from "@/common/utils/tokens/modelStats";
 import { supports1MContext } from "@/common/utils/ai/models";
-import { DEFAULT_AUTO_COMPACTION_THRESHOLD } from "@/common/constants/ui";
+import {
+  DEFAULT_AUTO_COMPACTION_THRESHOLD,
+  FORCE_COMPACTION_TOKEN_BUFFER,
+} from "@/common/constants/ui";
+
+/** Sum all token components from a ChatUsageDisplay */
+function getTotalTokens(usage: ChatUsageDisplay): number {
+  return (
+    usage.input.tokens +
+    usage.cached.tokens +
+    usage.cacheCreate.tokens +
+    usage.output.tokens +
+    usage.reasoning.tokens
+  );
+}
 
 export interface AutoCompactionCheckResult {
   shouldShowWarning: boolean;
+  /** True when live usage shows ≤FORCE_COMPACTION_TOKEN_BUFFER remaining in context */
+  shouldForceCompact: boolean;
   usagePercentage: number;
   thresholdPercentage: number;
 }
@@ -54,11 +71,11 @@ export function checkAutoCompaction(
 ): AutoCompactionCheckResult {
   const thresholdPercentage = threshold * 100;
 
-  // Short-circuit if auto-compaction is disabled
-  // Or if no usage data yet
-  if (!enabled || !model || !usage || usage.usageHistory.length === 0) {
+  // Short-circuit if auto-compaction is disabled or missing required data
+  if (!enabled || !model || !usage) {
     return {
       shouldShowWarning: false,
+      shouldForceCompact: false,
       usagePercentage: 0,
       thresholdPercentage,
     };
@@ -67,31 +84,44 @@ export function checkAutoCompaction(
   // Determine max tokens for this model
   const modelStats = getModelStats(model);
   const maxTokens = use1M && supports1MContext(model) ? 1_000_000 : modelStats?.max_input_tokens;
-  const lastUsage = usage.usageHistory[usage.usageHistory.length - 1];
 
   // No max tokens known - safe default (can't calculate percentage)
   if (!maxTokens) {
     return {
       shouldShowWarning: false,
+      shouldForceCompact: false,
       usagePercentage: 0,
       thresholdPercentage,
     };
   }
 
-  const currentContextTokens =
-    lastUsage.input.tokens +
-    lastUsage.cached.tokens +
-    lastUsage.cacheCreate.tokens +
-    lastUsage.output.tokens +
-    lastUsage.reasoning.tokens;
+  // Current usage: live when streaming, else last historical (pattern from CostsTab)
+  const lastUsage = usage.usageHistory[usage.usageHistory.length - 1];
+  const currentUsage = usage.liveUsage ?? lastUsage;
+
+  // Force-compact when approaching context limit (can trigger even with empty history if streaming)
+  let shouldForceCompact = false;
+  if (currentUsage) {
+    const remainingTokens = maxTokens - getTotalTokens(currentUsage);
+    shouldForceCompact = remainingTokens <= FORCE_COMPACTION_TOKEN_BUFFER;
+  }
 
-  const usagePercentage = (currentContextTokens / maxTokens) * 100;
+  // Warning/percentage based on lastUsage (completed requests only)
+  if (!lastUsage) {
+    return {
+      shouldShowWarning: false,
+      shouldForceCompact,
+      usagePercentage: 0,
+      thresholdPercentage,
+    };
+  }
 
-  // Show warning if within advance window (e.g., 60% for 70% threshold with 10% advance)
+  const usagePercentage = (getTotalTokens(lastUsage) / maxTokens) * 100;
   const shouldShowWarning = usagePercentage >= thresholdPercentage - warningAdvancePercent;
 
   return {
     shouldShowWarning,
+    shouldForceCompact,
     usagePercentage,
     thresholdPercentage,
   };

src/browser/utils/compaction/autoCompactionCheck.ts

@@ -27,6 +27,28 @@ export const DEFAULT_AUTO_COMPACTION_THRESHOLD_PERCENT = 70;
  * Default threshold as decimal for calculations (0.7 = 70%)
  */
 export const DEFAULT_AUTO_COMPACTION_THRESHOLD = DEFAULT_AUTO_COMPACTION_THRESHOLD_PERCENT / 100;
+
+/**
+ * Default word target for compaction summaries
+ */
+export const DEFAULT_COMPACTION_WORD_TARGET = 2000;
+
+/**
+ * Approximate ratio of tokens to words (tokens per word)
+ * Used for converting between word counts and token counts
+ */
+export const WORDS_TO_TOKENS_RATIO = 1.3;
+
+/**
+ * Force-compaction token buffer.
+ * When auto-compaction is enabled and live usage shows this many tokens or fewer
+ * remaining in the context window, force a compaction immediately.
+ * Set to 2x the expected compaction output size to ensure room for the summary.
+ */
+export const FORCE_COMPACTION_TOKEN_BUFFER = Math.round(
+  2 * DEFAULT_COMPACTION_WORD_TARGET * WORDS_TO_TOKENS_RATIO
+); // = 5200 tokens
+
 /**
  * Duration (ms) to show "copied" feedback after copying to clipboard
  */