Context Loading
The process by which skills automatically pull relevant context files, rule files, and shared references at invocation time.
Context loading is the mechanism that makes skills context-aware without requiring the user to manually paste business information into every prompt. When a skill invokes, it reads its SKILL.md references section and loads the specified context files: ICP definitions, voice standards, competitive intel, engagement constraints. This happens before the skill executes its methodology. The loading is selective: a meeting prep skill loads CRM context and attendee research, while a content production skill loads voice standards and anti-slop rules. Selective loading matters because the context window has a fixed budget. Loading everything wastes tokens on irrelevant context. Loading nothing produces generic output.
Where it shows up:
Related Terms
Architecture
Shared Context
Company-level context files stored in a central location and loaded automatically by multiple skills...
Architecture
Context File
A shared reference document (ICP, voice standards, competitive intel) that skills auto-load to maint...
Architecture
Context Budget
A per-phase limit on how many files can be loaded into context simultaneously, preventing token exha...
Skills Layer
Skill
A reusable instruction set that encodes a repeatable process. Skills load context, apply methodology...