---
title: "Token optimization"
description: "Token profiles, context compression, and complexity-based task routing to reduce costs by 40-60%."
---

GSD's token optimization system has three pillars: **token profiles**, **context compression**, and **complexity-based task routing**.

## Token profiles

A token profile coordinates model selection, phase skipping, and context compression. Set it in preferences:

```yaml
token_profile: balanced
```

### `budget` — maximum savings (40-60% reduction)

| Dimension | Setting |
|-----------|---------|
| Planning model | Sonnet |
| Execution model | Sonnet |
| Simple task model | Haiku |
| Completion model | Haiku |
| Milestone research | Skipped |
| Slice research | Skipped |
| Reassessment | Skipped |
| Context level | Minimal |

Best for: prototyping, small projects, well-understood codebases.

### `balanced` — smart defaults

| Dimension | Setting |
|-----------|---------|
| All models | User's default |
| Subagent model | Sonnet |
| Milestone research | Runs |
| Slice research | Skipped |
| Reassessment | Runs |
| Context level | Standard |

Best for: most projects, day-to-day development.

### `quality` — full context

Every phase runs. Every context artifact is inlined. No shortcuts. Best for: complex architectures, greenfield projects, critical production work.

## Context compression

Each profile maps to an **inline level** controlling how much context is pre-loaded into dispatch prompts:

| Profile | Level | What's included |
|---------|-------|-----------------|
| `budget` | Minimal | Task plan, essential prior summaries (truncated). Drops decisions, requirements, templates. |
| `balanced` | Standard | Task plan, prior summaries, slice plan, roadmap excerpt. |
| `quality` | Full | Everything — all plans, summaries, decisions, requirements, templates. |

### Prompt compression

GSD can apply deterministic text compression before falling back to section-boundary truncation:

```yaml
compression_strategy: compress    # or "truncate"
```

| Strategy | Behavior | Default for |
|----------|----------|------------|
| `truncate` | Drop entire sections at boundaries | `quality` |
| `compress` | Heuristic text compression first, then truncate | `budget`, `balanced` |

### Context selection

```yaml
context_selection: smart    # or "full"
```

| Mode | Behavior | Default for |
|------|----------|------------|
| `full` | Inline entire files | `balanced`, `quality` |
| `smart` | TF-IDF semantic chunking for large files | `budget` |

## Complexity-based task routing

GSD classifies each task by complexity and routes it to an appropriate model tier.

<Warning>
Dynamic routing requires explicit `models` in your preferences. Without a `models` section, routing is skipped.
</Warning>

### Classification signals

| Signal | Simple | Standard | Complex |
|--------|--------|----------|---------|
| Step count | ≤ 3 | 4-7 | ≥ 8 |
| File count | ≤ 3 | 4-7 | ≥ 8 |
| Description length | < 500 chars | 500-2000 | > 2000 chars |
| Code blocks | — | — | ≥ 5 |
| Complexity keywords | None | Any present | — |

**Complexity keywords:** `research`, `investigate`, `refactor`, `migrate`, `integrate`, `complex`, `architect`, `redesign`, `security`, `performance`, `concurrent`, `parallel`

### Budget pressure

When approaching the budget ceiling, the classifier automatically downgrades tiers:

| Budget used | Effect |
|------------|--------|
| < 50% | No adjustment |
| 50-75% | Standard → Light |
| 75-90% | More aggressive |
| > 90% | Everything except Heavy → Light |

## Adaptive learning

GSD tracks success/failure per tier and adjusts classifications over time. User feedback via `/gsd rate` is weighted 2x:

```
/gsd rate over    # model was overpowered
/gsd rate ok      # appropriate
/gsd rate under   # too weak
```

## Configuration examples

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Cost-optimized">
    ```yaml
    ---
    version: 1
    token_profile: budget
    budget_ceiling: 25.00
    models:
      execution_simple: claude-haiku-4-5-20250414
    ---
    ```
  </Tab>
  <Tab title="Balanced with custom models">
    ```yaml
    ---
    version: 1
    token_profile: balanced
    models:
      planning:
        model: claude-opus-4-6
        fallbacks:
          - openrouter/z-ai/glm-5
      execution: claude-sonnet-4-6
    ---
    ```
  </Tab>
  <Tab title="Full quality">
    ```yaml
    ---
    version: 1
    token_profile: quality
    models:
      planning: claude-opus-4-6
      execution: claude-opus-4-6
    ---
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

Per-phase overrides always win over profile defaults:

```yaml
---
version: 1
token_profile: budget
phases:
  skip_research: false       # keep research despite budget profile
models:
  planning: claude-opus-4-6  # use Opus for planning despite budget
---
```
