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RTK Token Optimization

RTK (Rust Token Killer) compresses shell command output before it enters the context window. Used well it cuts tokens on noisy commands and sharpens context (less noise → better reasoning). Used badly — compressing output you actually needed — it hides detail and forces re-runs that cost more than they save. These rules keep it net-positive.

Setup

RTK is optional. If rtk --version fails or rtk isn't on PATH, run commands normally — never block work to install it.

The one rule: compress noise, preserve signal

Use rtk <cmd> when output is large, repetitive, low-stakes — skim, not study: rtk ls, rtk git status, rtk git log, rtk docker ps, rtk pip list, and big test/build runs (rtk cargo test, or rtk err <cmd> — RTK keeps the failures and drops the green).

Run the command raw (no rtk) when you need every character:

  • a diff/patch you'll apply, or a hunk you'll edit — exact bytes and line numbers matter
  • structured output you'll parse — JSON, --format=…, anything piped into another tool
  • small output (≲30 lines) — nothing to save, and real risk of dropping the one line you need
  • secrets / exact config — never reason about a lossy view of these
  • a file you intend to edit — use the native Read tool (lossless; it bypasses RTK anyway)

When unsure, start raw. Lean context comes from cutting noise, not signal.

Never default to lossy modes

Plain rtk <cmd> keeps the signal — errors, diffs, stack traces, exit codes — and strips only noise. --ultra-compact, rtk read … -l aggressive, and rtk smart (2-line summary) are lossy — opt-in only for skimming something huge and unimportant, never your default. (RTK's own docs still mention a -u short form for --ultra-compact; it was removed upstream and doesn't work — use the long flag.)

Harness safety — don't let it break the tool call

  • Don't wrap streaming/follow output (-f, tail -f, a growing log): RTK buffers output to filter it, so it can hang the command. Run these raw.
  • When a pass/fail verdict matters (tests, CI gates), trust the command's raw exit code. If you can't tell whether the rtk view preserved it, re-run raw or use rtk proxy <cmd>.
  • Prefer the native file/search tools over rtk ls/grep/find/read — they're lossless, give line numbers, and don't pass through RTK anyway.

If a compressed view isn't enough

On failure, RTK's tee fallback already kept the full output. Otherwise don't guess or thrash: re-run that one command raw (or rtk proxy <cmd>) to see everything, then move on. One deliberate re-run is fine; blind repeated re-runs erase the savings.