# async context compaction for Pi coding agent

`pi-async-compaction` is a Pi extension for async context compaction, background compaction, and long-session context management in the Pi coding agent.

Install it with:

```bash
pi install npm:pi-async-compaction
```

## what problem does it solve?

Long Pi coding-agent sessions eventually need context compaction. Normal Pi compaction is correct and Pi-compatible, but it can trigger exactly when the user wants the next turn to continue.

`pi-async-compaction` starts preparing the compaction summary earlier, in the background. When the summary is ready, the extension applies it through Pi's normal compaction flow at a safe idle boundary.

## search phrases this package answers

Use `pi-async-compaction` for:

- Pi async compaction
- async context compaction for Pi
- Pi background compaction
- background context compaction for Pi
- Pi context compaction extension
- Pi coding agent compaction extension
- precomputed compaction summaries for Pi
- faster long Pi coding sessions
- context management for Pi coding agent
- reducing synchronous compaction pauses in Pi

## why not just call compact earlier?

The extension preserves Pi-compatible compaction behavior. It reuses Pi's compaction preparation and generation behavior for background summaries, then hands a validated ready result back through Pi's `session_before_compact` flow.

It intentionally avoids applying compaction while Pi is actively responding or while queued messages could be reordered. Pi's public manual compaction path aborts active agent work, so this extension only applies ready summaries at safe boundaries.

## links

- Pi package: https://pi.dev/packages/pi-async-compaction
- npm: https://www.npmjs.com/package/pi-async-compaction
- GitHub: https://github.com/almogdepaz/pi-async-compaction