Why token pain gets worse as projects mature
Early AI coding sessions feel cheap because context is small. As the project grows, stable facts, rules, logs, docs, and handoff notes get re-read again and again. The bill grows while quality often drops.
The five biggest hidden cost leaks
Rereading stable context
The same facts keep entering the main thread.
Giant rule files
Every mission loads rules meant for another lane.
No lane separation
Planning, research, build, and review all share one context.
Bad handoffs
Summaries are too vague to restart cleanly.
No proof loop
The agent repeats work because verification was never recorded.
What to move out of chat
Move durable project truth into files. Keep the active chat focused on the mission. Let summaries point to source files instead of becoming the source of truth.
The four-file minimum stack
- Project memory: stable facts and constraints.
- Run-state: what is active today.
- Mission brief: one task, inputs, outputs, gates.
- QA checklist: what proves the result.
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