Architecture Development Notes

Oct 28, 2026 · Industry Insights

Claude Code Compact Window: Config Accepted ≠ Effective — Merging Rules & 3 Checks

Claude Code's auto-compact window can be set in six different places, each with distinct parsing rules, priority levels, and direction constraints (only lowering, never raising). Invalid values are silently ignored without errors. The article breaks down the merging logic, version-specific changes, and three verification methods: startup warnings, debug logs, and transcript events.