Claude Code

Shorten Your Claude Helper Agent Descriptions

How custom helper agents use up room in Claude's context, the 15,000-token warning, a prompt that trims every description, and what it costs you

Alex ChenAlex Chen@nocodealex · 45,000+ follow on Instagram
2min read
1prompts to copy
7numbered steps
4sections

Every custom helper agent (a subagent) you make has a description, and Claude reads those descriptions to decide which helper to call. They take up room in Claude's context. If you have a lot of helpers with long descriptions, that room adds up.

Step 1: see if you have the problem

  1. Start Claude Code in a project that has helpers in .claude/agents/ (or in your user folder, ~/.claude/agents/).
  2. Look at the top of the screen when it starts. If the descriptions together pass 15,000 tokens, Claude Code shows a warning with the total.
  3. No warning does not mean the descriptions are free. They still take up context, so shorter is still better.

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