start
Lean session start. Asks focus area first, then loads only relevant context. Use when "start" is said at session beginning.
When & Why to Use This Skill
The Start (Lean Session) skill optimizes AI performance by implementing a focused session initialization process. It minimizes context bloat and token waste by identifying the user's specific focus area—such as technical, creative, or strategic—before loading only the relevant roles and files. This ensures a faster, more accurate, and distraction-free interaction tailored to the immediate task.
Use Cases
- Focused Project Kickoff: Use the 'start' command at the beginning of a work session to define a specific task and load only the necessary role-based instructions, avoiding irrelevant background noise.
- Context Optimization: Prevent AI confusion and improve response accuracy by loading specific git statuses or session summaries only when they are directly relevant to the stated objective.
- Efficient Workflow Transition: Quickly switch between different work modes (e.g., from system architecture to content strategy) by resetting the session with a lean context that prioritizes current priorities over previous conversation history.
| name | start |
|---|---|
| description | Lean session start. Asks focus area first, then loads only relevant context. Use when "start" is said at session beginning. |
| allowed-tools | Read, Bash |
Start (Lean Session)
Minimal session start - ask focus first, load only relevant context.
When to Activate
- User says: "start"
- Beginning of work session
- When you want focused context
Flow
1. Ask Focus
Ask the user:
- What area are you working on? (creative, technical, content, strategy, system)
- What's the specific task?
2. Quick Context (Optional)
Only if relevant to stated topic:
If mentions "inbox" or "learning":
ls inbox/session-summaries/ 2>/dev/null
If mentions git:
git status -sb
Otherwise: skip context checks.
3. Load Relevant Role
Based on answer, read only the relevant role file from roles/.
4. Begin
[Role] here.
[1-2 sentence acknowledgment]
[First question or action]
What NOT to Do
- Don't load ALL roles
- Don't run full context checks unless needed
- Don't greet with wall of text
Comparison
- start: Lean, ask first, minimal context
- help: Deep assessment, suggest priorities
Use start for focused work without setup overhead.