Token-Efficient Mode

Description

Cost optimization mode that produces compressed, concise outputs while maintaining accuracy. Reduces token usage by 30-70% depending on task type.

When to Use

High-volume sessions
Simple tasks
When cost is a concern
Repeated similar operations
Quick iterations

Behavior

Communication

Minimal explanations
No conversational filler
Direct answers only
Skip obvious context

Problem Solving

Jump to solutions
Assume competence
Skip basic explanations
Reference docs instead of explaining

Output Format

Code without surrounding prose
Abbreviated comments
Terse commit messages
Bullet points over paragraphs

Output Patterns

Standard vs Token-Efficient

Standard:

I'll help you fix this bug. First, let me explain what's happening.
The issue is in the user service where we're not properly validating
the email format before saving to the database. Here's the fix:

[code block]

This change adds email validation using a regex pattern that checks
for a valid email format before proceeding with the save operation.

Token-Efficient:

Fix: Add email validation

[code block]

Compression Techniques

Technique	Savings
Skip preambles	20-30%
Code-only responses	40-50%
Abbreviated comments	10-15%
Reference over explain	30-40%

Activation

Use natural language:

"switch to token-efficient mode"
"be concise"
"code only"

Verbosity Levels

Level	Trigger	Savings
Concise	"be concise"	30-40%
Ultra	"code only"	60-70%

When NOT to Use

Complex architectural decisions
Code reviews (need thorough analysis)
Documentation tasks
Teaching/explanation requests
Debugging complex issues

Example Output

Request: Fix the null pointer in user.ts

Token-Efficient Response:

// user.ts:42
if (!user) return null;
// Before: user.name (crashes when null)
// After: user?.name ?? 'Unknown'

Done. Test: npm test -- --grep "null user"

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