Measure what every request re-reads before the user's message (system prompt, tools, MCP schemas, CLAUDE.md, rules, auto memory) and price each memory file per month; offer to split a heavy one. Use when the user asks why sessions start large, what CLAUDE.md or MCP servers cost, or how to trim memory files.
Installs into .claude/skills of the current project.
Are you the author of Overhead?
Add the live security badge to your README. It updates with every re-scan.
[](https://www.skillsdirectory.com/skills/kushalp1-overhead)
---
name: overhead
description: Measure what every request re-reads before the user's message (system prompt, tools, MCP schemas, CLAUDE.md, rules, auto memory) and price each memory file per month; offer to split a heavy one. Use when the user asks why sessions start large, what CLAUDE.md or MCP servers cost, or how to trim memory files.
---
Run this and show the user its output as it is (it is already formatted):
```bash
node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/dist/cli.js" overhead --mcp
```
`--mcp` launches each configured MCP server once to size its tool definitions; drop it if the user does not want their servers started. If the servers show "MCP SDK not installed", this plugin copy cannot launch them; `npx -y context-doctor overhead --mcp` can, if the user wants the sizes. Then say in one or two sentences which item costs the most and what to do about it.
If a memory file is flagged as large, offer to split it. Show the plan first, which changes nothing:
```bash
node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/dist/cli.js" overhead split <file>
```
Only when the user agrees, add `--write`: it moves the large sections word for word to `<name>.reference.md`, leaves a pointer to each, and backs up the original first.
