Anti Hall Context Conserve

---
name: anti-hall-context-conserve
description: Codex-native context and usage conservation mode. Use when the user asks for context conservative mode, limit conservation, cheap-model routing, or reducing context/token burn while keeping work moving.
---

# anti-hall context-conserve for Codex

This is the Codex port of anti-hall limit/context conservation. It combines hook nudges, model routing, and output hygiene; it does not depend on Claude Workflow JS.

## Resolve the plugin root

Codex does not expand `${PLUGIN_ROOT}` inside a skill's own instructions — that
variable is only set for plugin-bundled hook commands (see
`https://github.com/talas9/anti-hall/blob/main/docs/KB-codex-platform-hooks-plugins.md`). Codex does show you this skill's own
file path when it selects the skill ("Codex starts with each skill's name,
description, and file path" — official Codex Skills doc). Resolve the plugin
root from that path before running anything below:

```bash
# SKILL_FILE = the absolute path Codex showed you for this SKILL.md.
ANTI_HALL_ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "$SKILL_FILE")/../../.." && pwd)"
test -f "$ANTI_HALL_ROOT/.codex-plugin/plugin.json" || { echo "anti-hall plugin root not found relative to $SKILL_FILE — aborting" >&2; exit 1; }
```

## Activation

Project-local hooks are installed by `anti-hall-activate`:

```bash
node "$ANTI_HALL_ROOT/codex/install-codex.js"
```

The installer registers `hooks/limit-conserve-inject.js` on `UserPromptSubmit` so conservation instructions are injected when active.

Manual controls:

```bash
export ANTIHALL_LIMIT_CONSERVE=on    # force conservation
export ANTIHALL_LIMIT_CONSERVE=off   # disable conservation
export ANTIHALL_LIMIT_THRESHOLD=85   # default threshold
```

Status check:

```bash
node "$ANTI_HALL_ROOT/codex/scripts/limit-conserve-status.js"
```

## Main-model downshift (flagship preservation)

When conservation is active and the **main/coordinator** agent is on the
**frontier** category, switch it to the **workhorse** category's
1M-context variant to preserve the flagship weekly bucket — resolve both
from the live catalog (`anti-hall-model-policy`), don't hardcode either slug.

- **Target**: the **workhorse** category's 1M-context model — same context window, lower cost.
- **NEVER** downshift to a smaller-context model (e.g. the **fast** category may have as little
  as ~400k context); check the catalog's context window before switching — context loss is unacceptable.
- Keep the **frontier** category for delegated hard-reasoning subagents and on-demand escalation.
- Codex cannot self-switch its own model — **surface this recommendation to the user** or let OMX/orchestration layer set it.
- **Long-context cost premium:** both the **workhorse** and **frontier** categories may incur a
  confirmed cost multiplier (verified ~2× input / 1.5× output) once a request exceeds a large
  input-token threshold — check the catalog/current pricing for the live number and whether it
  applies to your resolved model. For a very-large-context task (a big repo dump, a huge diff),
  consider capping scope or routing to a Claude model instead (no equivalent premium up to 1M
  there). See `https://github.com/talas9/anti-hall/blob/main/docs/KB-token-usage-models.md` §2/§7.

## Codex routing policy

When conservation is active:

- keep the coordinator concise; do not paste broad command output into the main thread
- use `explore` / the **fast** category for codebase lookup
- use the **fast** category for mechanical command running
- use the **workhorse** category for settled implementation
- reserve the **frontier** category for planning, root-cause, validation, code review, and debate gates
- if a resolved model is unavailable or rate-limited, record the limitation and re-resolve the nearest safe category; do not retry-loop

## Context hygiene rules

- Delegate noisy tests/builds/checks and require compact summaries.
- Report only changed files, validation evidence, and remaining blockers.
- Do not claim quantitative token savings without a measured benchmark.

## What is not hard-enforced in Codex

Codex does not expose Claude's Agent/Task `PreToolUse` hook surface for hard model-routing blocks. The Codex port enforces this via skill instructions, AGENTS.md, and `UserPromptSubmit` nudges instead of pretending it can block every spawn.