pudo-code-system

Context Engineering

PUDO treats context as an engineering artifact. The goal is not to give the AI more text; the goal is to give it the right evidence before implementation.

Context Pack Format

Use this format before non-trivial coding work:

# Context Pack

## Task
What needs to change.

## Current Phase
Plan / Understand / Develop / Optimize

## Relevant Files
- `path/to/file`: why it matters

## Verified Facts
- Fact backed by source inspection

## Assumptions
- Assumption that still needs confirmation

## Constraints
- Technical, product, security, release, or time constraints

## Edge Cases
- Edge cases that must be handled or explicitly deferred

## Verification
- Commands or manual checks that prove the change

Context Window Guide

Match context pack size to your model’s window:

Model	Context Window	Max Files in Pack	Recommended Pack Size
Claude Opus 4.8	200K	8-10	15-20K tokens
Claude Fable 5	1M	25	40-80K tokens
GPT-4o	128K	6-8	10-15K tokens

For Fable 5, take advantage of the 1M window for large refactors and multi-file analysis, but avoid filling the context with irrelevant files. Include only files that help decide what to change or how to verify it.

What Files To Include Before Coding

Include only files that help decide what to change or how to verify it:

• The file being edited.
• Nearby examples that show local conventions.
• Tests for the affected behavior.
• API/schema/contract definitions.
• Config files that affect runtime behavior.
• Logs or stack traces for debugging tasks.

Avoid including:

• Whole directories without a reason.
• Build output, dependency folders, or generated files.
• Unrelated docs or examples.
• Large files when a targeted symbol or small range is enough.

Evidence-First Prompting

Before asking for implementation, require evidence:

Before coding, inspect the relevant files and report:
1. Files read
2. Existing patterns found
3. APIs or contracts verified
4. Assumptions still open
5. Smallest safe implementation path

Do not accept implementation that depends on unverified paths, APIs, env vars, database columns, or package behavior.

Repo Map Before Implementation

For larger tasks, create a compact repo map:

## Repo Map

| Area | Files | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Routing | `...` | Request entrypoint |
| Data | `...` | Persistence and migration risk |
| UI | `...` | User-facing state |
| Tests | `...` | Verification path |
| Config | `...` | Runtime behavior |

Stop expanding context once the implementation path is clear.

Handoff

For work that crosses sessions or tools, update .pudo/session.md with inspected files, decisions, tests run, remaining risks, and next action.

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