Files
codex/codex-rs/core-skills/src/render.rs
T
xl-openai b77791c228 feat: Fairly trim skill descriptions within context budget (#18925)
Preserve skill name/path entries whenever possible and trim descriptions
first, using round-robin character allocation so short descriptions do
not waste budget.
2026-04-22 12:33:29 -07:00

756 lines
26 KiB
Rust

use crate::model::SkillMetadata;
use codex_otel::SessionTelemetry;
use codex_otel::THREAD_SKILLS_DESCRIPTION_TRUNCATED_CHARS_METRIC;
use codex_otel::THREAD_SKILLS_ENABLED_TOTAL_METRIC;
use codex_otel::THREAD_SKILLS_KEPT_TOTAL_METRIC;
use codex_otel::THREAD_SKILLS_TRUNCATED_METRIC;
use codex_protocol::protocol::SkillScope;
use codex_utils_output_truncation::approx_token_count;
const DEFAULT_SKILL_METADATA_CHAR_BUDGET: usize = 8_000;
const SKILL_METADATA_CONTEXT_WINDOW_PERCENT: usize = 2;
const SKILL_DESCRIPTION_TRUNCATION_WARNING_THRESHOLD_CHARS: usize = 10;
const APPROX_BYTES_PER_TOKEN: usize = 4;
pub const SKILL_DESCRIPTION_TRUNCATED_WARNING_PREFIX: &str = "Warning: Exceeded skills context budget. Loaded skill descriptions were truncated by an average of";
pub const SKILL_DESCRIPTIONS_REMOVED_WARNING_PREFIX: &str =
"Warning: Exceeded skills context budget. All skill descriptions were removed and";
#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
pub enum SkillMetadataBudget {
Tokens(usize),
Characters(usize),
}
impl SkillMetadataBudget {
fn limit(self) -> usize {
match self {
Self::Tokens(limit) | Self::Characters(limit) => limit,
}
}
fn cost(self, text: &str) -> usize {
match self {
Self::Tokens(_) => approx_token_count(text),
Self::Characters(_) => text.chars().count(),
}
}
fn cost_from_counts(self, chars: usize, bytes: usize) -> usize {
match self {
Self::Tokens(_) => approx_token_count_from_bytes(bytes),
Self::Characters(_) => chars,
}
}
}
fn approx_token_count_from_bytes(bytes: usize) -> usize {
bytes.saturating_add(APPROX_BYTES_PER_TOKEN.saturating_sub(1)) / APPROX_BYTES_PER_TOKEN
}
#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
pub struct SkillRenderReport {
pub total_count: usize,
pub included_count: usize,
pub omitted_count: usize,
pub truncated_description_chars: usize,
pub truncated_description_count: usize,
}
#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
pub enum SkillRenderSideEffects<'a> {
None,
ThreadStart {
session_telemetry: &'a SessionTelemetry,
},
}
#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
pub struct AvailableSkills {
pub skill_lines: Vec<String>,
pub report: SkillRenderReport,
pub warning_message: Option<String>,
}
pub fn default_skill_metadata_budget(context_window: Option<i64>) -> SkillMetadataBudget {
context_window
.and_then(|window| usize::try_from(window).ok())
.filter(|window| *window > 0)
.map(|window| {
SkillMetadataBudget::Tokens(
window
.saturating_mul(SKILL_METADATA_CONTEXT_WINDOW_PERCENT)
.saturating_div(100)
.max(1),
)
})
.unwrap_or(SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(
DEFAULT_SKILL_METADATA_CHAR_BUDGET,
))
}
pub fn build_available_skills(
skills: &[SkillMetadata],
budget: SkillMetadataBudget,
side_effects: SkillRenderSideEffects<'_>,
) -> Option<AvailableSkills> {
if skills.is_empty() {
record_skill_render_side_effects(
side_effects,
/*total_count*/ 0,
/*included_count*/ 0,
/*omitted_count*/ 0,
/*truncated_description_chars*/ 0,
);
return None;
}
let (skill_lines, report) = render_skill_lines(skills, budget);
let warning_message = if report.omitted_count > 0 {
let skill_word = if report.omitted_count == 1 {
"skill"
} else {
"skills"
};
let verb = if report.omitted_count == 1 {
"was"
} else {
"were"
};
Some(format!(
"{} {} additional {} {} not included in the model-visible skills list.",
budget_warning_prefix(budget, SKILL_DESCRIPTIONS_REMOVED_WARNING_PREFIX),
report.omitted_count,
skill_word,
verb
))
} else if report.average_truncated_description_chars()
> SKILL_DESCRIPTION_TRUNCATION_WARNING_THRESHOLD_CHARS
{
Some(format!(
"{} {} characters per skill.",
budget_warning_prefix(budget, SKILL_DESCRIPTION_TRUNCATED_WARNING_PREFIX),
report.average_truncated_description_chars()
))
} else {
None
};
record_skill_render_side_effects(
side_effects,
report.total_count,
report.included_count,
report.omitted_count,
report.truncated_description_chars,
);
if report.omitted_count > 0 || report.truncated_description_chars > 0 {
tracing::info!(
budget_limit = budget.limit(),
total_skills = report.total_count,
included_skills = report.included_count,
omitted_skills = report.omitted_count,
truncated_description_chars_per_skill = report.average_truncated_description_chars(),
truncated_skill_descriptions = report.truncated_description_count,
"truncated skill metadata to fit skills context budget"
);
}
Some(AvailableSkills {
skill_lines,
report,
warning_message,
})
}
fn budget_warning_prefix(budget: SkillMetadataBudget, prefix: &str) -> String {
match budget {
SkillMetadataBudget::Tokens(_) => prefix.replacen(
"Exceeded skills context budget.",
"Exceeded skills context budget of 2%.",
1,
),
SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(_) => prefix.to_string(),
}
}
fn record_skill_render_side_effects(
side_effects: SkillRenderSideEffects<'_>,
total_count: usize,
included_count: usize,
omitted_count: usize,
truncated_description_chars: usize,
) {
match side_effects {
SkillRenderSideEffects::None => {}
SkillRenderSideEffects::ThreadStart { session_telemetry } => {
session_telemetry.histogram(
THREAD_SKILLS_ENABLED_TOTAL_METRIC,
i64::try_from(total_count).unwrap_or(i64::MAX),
&[],
);
session_telemetry.histogram(
THREAD_SKILLS_KEPT_TOTAL_METRIC,
i64::try_from(included_count).unwrap_or(i64::MAX),
&[],
);
session_telemetry.histogram(
THREAD_SKILLS_TRUNCATED_METRIC,
if omitted_count > 0 { 1 } else { 0 },
&[],
);
session_telemetry.histogram(
THREAD_SKILLS_DESCRIPTION_TRUNCATED_CHARS_METRIC,
i64::try_from(truncated_description_chars).unwrap_or(i64::MAX),
&[],
);
}
}
}
fn render_skill_lines(
skills: &[SkillMetadata],
budget: SkillMetadataBudget,
) -> (Vec<String>, SkillRenderReport) {
let ordered_skills = ordered_skills_for_budget(skills);
let skill_lines = ordered_skills
.into_iter()
.map(SkillLine::new)
.collect::<Vec<_>>();
let full_cost = skill_lines.iter().fold(0usize, |used, line| {
used.saturating_add(line.full_cost(budget))
});
if full_cost <= budget.limit() {
let included = skill_lines
.iter()
.map(SkillLine::render_full)
.collect::<Vec<_>>();
return (
included,
skill_render_report(
/*total_count*/ skills.len(),
/*included_count*/ skill_lines.len(),
/*omitted_count*/ 0,
/*truncated_description_chars*/ 0,
/*truncated_description_count*/ 0,
),
);
}
let minimum_cost = skill_lines.iter().fold(0usize, |used, line| {
used.saturating_add(line.minimum_cost(budget))
});
if minimum_cost <= budget.limit() {
let rendered = render_lines_with_description_budget(
budget,
&skill_lines,
budget.limit().saturating_sub(minimum_cost),
);
let (truncated_description_chars, truncated_description_count) =
sum_description_truncation(&rendered);
let included = rendered
.into_iter()
.map(|rendered| rendered.line)
.collect::<Vec<_>>();
return (
included,
skill_render_report(
/*total_count*/ skills.len(),
/*included_count*/ skill_lines.len(),
/*omitted_count*/ 0,
truncated_description_chars,
truncated_description_count,
),
);
}
render_minimum_skill_lines_until_budget(budget, skill_lines, skills.len())
}
fn render_minimum_skill_lines_until_budget(
budget: SkillMetadataBudget,
skill_lines: Vec<SkillLine<'_>>,
total_count: usize,
) -> (Vec<String>, SkillRenderReport) {
let mut included = Vec::new();
let mut used = 0usize;
let mut omitted_count = 0usize;
let mut truncated_description_chars = 0usize;
let mut truncated_description_count = 0usize;
for line in skill_lines {
let line_cost = line.minimum_cost(budget);
let description_char_count = line.description_char_count();
if used.saturating_add(line_cost) <= budget.limit() {
used = used.saturating_add(line_cost);
included.push(line.render_minimum());
} else {
omitted_count = omitted_count.saturating_add(1);
}
truncated_description_chars =
truncated_description_chars.saturating_add(description_char_count);
if description_char_count > 0 {
truncated_description_count = truncated_description_count.saturating_add(1);
}
}
let report = skill_render_report(
total_count,
included.len(),
omitted_count,
truncated_description_chars,
truncated_description_count,
);
(included, report)
}
fn skill_render_report(
total_count: usize,
included_count: usize,
omitted_count: usize,
truncated_description_chars: usize,
truncated_description_count: usize,
) -> SkillRenderReport {
SkillRenderReport {
total_count,
included_count,
omitted_count,
truncated_description_chars,
truncated_description_count,
}
}
impl SkillRenderReport {
fn average_truncated_description_chars(&self) -> usize {
if self.truncated_description_count == 0 {
return 0;
}
self.truncated_description_chars
.saturating_add(self.truncated_description_count.saturating_sub(1))
/ self.truncated_description_count
}
}
struct SkillLine<'a> {
name: &'a str,
description: &'a str,
path: String,
}
struct RenderedSkillLine {
line: String,
truncated_chars: usize,
}
struct DescriptionBudgetLine<'a> {
line: &'a SkillLine<'a>,
description_char_count: usize,
extra_costs: Vec<usize>,
}
fn sum_description_truncation(rendered: &[RenderedSkillLine]) -> (usize, usize) {
rendered
.iter()
.fold((0usize, 0usize), |(chars, count), line| {
if line.truncated_chars == 0 {
(chars, count)
} else {
(
chars.saturating_add(line.truncated_chars),
count.saturating_add(1),
)
}
})
}
impl<'a> SkillLine<'a> {
fn new(skill: &'a SkillMetadata) -> Self {
Self {
name: skill.name.as_str(),
description: skill.description.as_str(),
path: skill.path_to_skills_md.to_string_lossy().replace('\\', "/"),
}
}
fn full_cost(&self, budget: SkillMetadataBudget) -> usize {
line_cost(budget, &self.render_full())
}
fn minimum_cost(&self, budget: SkillMetadataBudget) -> usize {
line_cost(budget, &self.render_minimum())
}
fn description_char_count(&self) -> usize {
self.description.chars().count()
}
fn render_full(&self) -> String {
self.render_with_description(self.description)
}
fn render_minimum(&self) -> String {
self.render_with_description("")
}
fn rendered_description_prefix_len(&self, description_chars: usize) -> usize {
self.description
.char_indices()
.nth(description_chars)
.map_or(self.description.len(), |(idx, _)| idx)
}
fn render_with_description_chars(&self, description_chars: usize) -> String {
if description_chars == 0 {
format!("- {}: (file: {})", self.name, self.path)
} else {
let end = self.rendered_description_prefix_len(description_chars);
let description = &self.description[..end];
format!("- {}: {} (file: {})", self.name, description, self.path)
}
}
fn render_with_description(&self, description: &str) -> String {
if description.is_empty() {
format!("- {}: (file: {})", self.name, self.path)
} else {
format!("- {}: {} (file: {})", self.name, description, self.path)
}
}
}
impl<'a> DescriptionBudgetLine<'a> {
fn new(line: &'a SkillLine<'a>, budget: SkillMetadataBudget) -> Self {
let minimum_line = line.render_minimum();
let minimum_chars = minimum_line.chars().count().saturating_add(1);
let minimum_bytes = minimum_line.len().saturating_add(1);
let minimum_cost = budget.cost_from_counts(minimum_chars, minimum_bytes);
let description_char_count = line.description_char_count();
let mut extra_costs = Vec::with_capacity(description_char_count.saturating_add(1));
extra_costs.push(0);
let mut prefix_chars = 0usize;
let mut prefix_bytes = 0usize;
for ch in line.description.chars() {
prefix_chars = prefix_chars.saturating_add(1);
prefix_bytes = prefix_bytes.saturating_add(ch.len_utf8());
let rendered_chars = minimum_chars.saturating_add(prefix_chars).saturating_add(1);
let rendered_bytes = minimum_bytes.saturating_add(prefix_bytes).saturating_add(1);
let cost = budget
.cost_from_counts(rendered_chars, rendered_bytes)
.saturating_sub(minimum_cost);
extra_costs.push(cost);
}
Self {
line,
description_char_count,
extra_costs,
}
}
}
fn line_cost(budget: SkillMetadataBudget, line: &str) -> usize {
budget.cost(&format!("{line}\n"))
}
fn render_lines_with_description_budget(
budget: SkillMetadataBudget,
skill_lines: &[SkillLine<'_>],
limit: usize,
) -> Vec<RenderedSkillLine> {
let budget_lines = skill_lines
.iter()
.map(|line| DescriptionBudgetLine::new(line, budget))
.collect::<Vec<_>>();
let mut char_allocations = vec![0usize; budget_lines.len()];
let mut current_extra_costs = vec![0usize; budget_lines.len()];
let mut remaining = limit;
// Distribute description space one character at a time across skills.
// Short descriptions naturally drop out, so their unused share can go to
// longer descriptions instead of being stranded in a fixed per-skill quota.
loop {
let mut changed = false;
for (index, line) in budget_lines.iter().enumerate() {
if char_allocations[index] >= line.description_char_count {
continue;
}
let current_cost = current_extra_costs[index];
let next_chars = char_allocations[index].saturating_add(1);
let next_cost = line.extra_costs[next_chars];
let delta = next_cost.saturating_sub(current_cost);
if delta <= remaining {
char_allocations[index] = next_chars;
current_extra_costs[index] = next_cost;
remaining = remaining.saturating_sub(delta);
changed = true;
}
}
if !changed {
break;
}
}
budget_lines
.iter()
.zip(char_allocations)
.map(|(line, description_chars)| {
let truncated_chars = line
.description_char_count
.saturating_sub(description_chars);
RenderedSkillLine {
line: line.line.render_with_description_chars(description_chars),
truncated_chars,
}
})
.collect()
}
fn ordered_skills_for_budget(skills: &[SkillMetadata]) -> Vec<&SkillMetadata> {
let mut ordered = skills.iter().collect::<Vec<_>>();
ordered.sort_by(|a, b| {
prompt_scope_rank(a.scope)
.cmp(&prompt_scope_rank(b.scope))
.then_with(|| a.name.cmp(&b.name))
.then_with(|| a.path_to_skills_md.cmp(&b.path_to_skills_md))
});
ordered
}
fn prompt_scope_rank(scope: SkillScope) -> u8 {
match scope {
SkillScope::System => 0,
SkillScope::Admin => 1,
SkillScope::Repo => 2,
SkillScope::User => 3,
}
}
#[cfg(test)]
mod tests {
use super::*;
use codex_utils_absolute_path::test_support::PathBufExt;
use codex_utils_absolute_path::test_support::test_path_buf;
use pretty_assertions::assert_eq;
fn make_skill(name: &str, scope: SkillScope) -> SkillMetadata {
SkillMetadata {
name: name.to_string(),
description: "desc".to_string(),
short_description: None,
interface: None,
dependencies: None,
policy: None,
path_to_skills_md: test_path_buf(&format!("/tmp/{name}/SKILL.md")).abs(),
scope,
}
}
fn make_skill_with_description(
name: &str,
scope: SkillScope,
description: &str,
) -> SkillMetadata {
let mut skill = make_skill(name, scope);
skill.description = description.to_string();
skill
}
fn expected_skill_line(skill: &SkillMetadata, description: &str) -> String {
SkillLine::new(skill).render_with_description(description)
}
#[test]
fn default_budget_uses_two_percent_of_full_context_window() {
assert_eq!(
default_skill_metadata_budget(Some(200_000)),
SkillMetadataBudget::Tokens(4_000)
);
assert_eq!(
default_skill_metadata_budget(Some(99)),
SkillMetadataBudget::Tokens(1)
);
}
#[test]
fn default_budget_falls_back_to_characters_without_context_window() {
assert_eq!(
default_skill_metadata_budget(/*context_window*/ None),
SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(DEFAULT_SKILL_METADATA_CHAR_BUDGET)
);
assert_eq!(
default_skill_metadata_budget(Some(-1)),
SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(DEFAULT_SKILL_METADATA_CHAR_BUDGET)
);
}
#[test]
fn budgeted_rendering_truncates_descriptions_equally_before_omitting_skills() {
let alpha = make_skill_with_description("alpha-skill", SkillScope::Repo, "abcdef");
let beta = make_skill_with_description("beta-skill", SkillScope::Repo, "uvwxyz");
let minimum_cost = SkillLine::new(&alpha)
.minimum_cost(SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(usize::MAX))
+ SkillLine::new(&beta).minimum_cost(SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(usize::MAX));
let budget = SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(minimum_cost + 6);
let rendered = build_available_skills(
&[beta.clone(), alpha.clone()],
budget,
SkillRenderSideEffects::None,
)
.expect("skills should render");
assert_eq!(rendered.report.included_count, 2);
assert_eq!(rendered.report.omitted_count, 0);
assert_eq!(rendered.report.truncated_description_chars, 8);
assert_eq!(rendered.warning_message, None);
assert_eq!(
rendered.skill_lines,
vec![
expected_skill_line(&alpha, "ab"),
expected_skill_line(&beta, "uv"),
]
);
}
#[test]
fn budgeted_rendering_does_not_warn_when_average_description_truncation_is_within_threshold() {
let alpha = make_skill_with_description("alpha-skill", SkillScope::Repo, "abcdefghij");
let beta = make_skill_with_description("beta-skill", SkillScope::Repo, "uvwxyzabcd");
let minimum_cost = SkillLine::new(&alpha)
.minimum_cost(SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(usize::MAX))
+ SkillLine::new(&beta).minimum_cost(SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(usize::MAX));
let budget = SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(minimum_cost + 6);
let rendered = build_available_skills(&[alpha, beta], budget, SkillRenderSideEffects::None)
.expect("skills should render");
assert_eq!(rendered.report.included_count, 2);
assert_eq!(rendered.report.omitted_count, 0);
assert_eq!(rendered.report.truncated_description_chars, 16);
assert_eq!(rendered.report.truncated_description_count, 2);
assert_eq!(rendered.warning_message, None);
}
#[test]
fn budgeted_rendering_warns_when_average_description_truncation_exceeds_threshold() {
let alpha =
make_skill_with_description("alpha-skill", SkillScope::Repo, "abcdefghijklmnop");
let beta = make_skill_with_description("beta-skill", SkillScope::Repo, "uvwxyzabcdefghij");
let minimum_cost = SkillLine::new(&alpha)
.minimum_cost(SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(usize::MAX))
+ SkillLine::new(&beta).minimum_cost(SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(usize::MAX));
let budget = SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(minimum_cost + 6);
let rendered = build_available_skills(&[alpha, beta], budget, SkillRenderSideEffects::None)
.expect("skills should render");
assert_eq!(rendered.report.included_count, 2);
assert_eq!(rendered.report.omitted_count, 0);
assert_eq!(rendered.report.truncated_description_chars, 28);
assert_eq!(rendered.report.truncated_description_count, 2);
assert_eq!(
rendered.warning_message,
Some(
"Warning: Exceeded skills context budget. Loaded skill descriptions were truncated by an average of 14 characters per skill."
.to_string()
)
);
}
#[test]
fn budgeted_rendering_redistributes_unused_description_budget() {
let short = make_skill_with_description("short-skill", SkillScope::Repo, "x");
let long = make_skill_with_description("long-skill", SkillScope::Repo, "abcdefghi");
let minimum_cost = SkillLine::new(&short)
.minimum_cost(SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(usize::MAX))
+ SkillLine::new(&long).minimum_cost(SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(usize::MAX));
let budget = SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(minimum_cost + 11);
let rendered = build_available_skills(
&[short.clone(), long.clone()],
budget,
SkillRenderSideEffects::None,
)
.expect("skills should render");
assert_eq!(rendered.report.included_count, 2);
assert_eq!(rendered.report.omitted_count, 0);
assert_eq!(rendered.warning_message, None);
assert_eq!(
rendered.skill_lines,
vec![
expected_skill_line(&long, "abcdefgh"),
expected_skill_line(&short, "x"),
]
);
}
#[test]
fn budgeted_rendering_preserves_prompt_priority_when_minimum_lines_exceed_budget() {
let system = make_skill("system-skill", SkillScope::System);
let user = make_skill("user-skill", SkillScope::User);
let repo = make_skill("repo-skill", SkillScope::Repo);
let admin = make_skill("admin-skill", SkillScope::Admin);
let system_cost = SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(usize::MAX)
.cost(&format!("{}\n", SkillLine::new(&system).render_minimum()));
let admin_cost = SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(usize::MAX)
.cost(&format!("{}\n", SkillLine::new(&admin).render_minimum()));
let budget = SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(system_cost + admin_cost);
let rendered = build_available_skills(
&[system, user, repo, admin],
budget,
SkillRenderSideEffects::None,
)
.expect("skills should render");
assert_eq!(rendered.report.included_count, 2);
assert_eq!(rendered.report.omitted_count, 2);
assert_eq!(
rendered.warning_message,
Some(
"Warning: Exceeded skills context budget. All skill descriptions were removed and 2 additional skills were not included in the model-visible skills list."
.to_string()
)
);
let rendered_text = rendered.skill_lines.join("\n");
assert!(rendered_text.contains("- system-skill:"));
assert!(rendered_text.contains("- admin-skill:"));
assert!(!rendered_text.contains("desc"));
assert!(!rendered_text.contains("- repo-skill:"));
assert!(!rendered_text.contains("- user-skill:"));
}
#[test]
fn budgeted_rendering_keeps_scanning_after_oversized_entry() {
let mut oversized = make_skill("oversized-system-skill", SkillScope::System);
oversized.description = "desc ".repeat(100);
let repo = make_skill("repo-skill", SkillScope::Repo);
let repo_cost = SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(usize::MAX)
.cost(&format!("{}\n", SkillLine::new(&repo).render_full()));
let budget = SkillMetadataBudget::Characters(repo_cost);
let rendered =
build_available_skills(&[oversized, repo], budget, SkillRenderSideEffects::None)
.expect("skills render");
assert_eq!(rendered.report.included_count, 1);
assert_eq!(rendered.report.omitted_count, 1);
assert_eq!(
rendered.warning_message,
Some(
"Warning: Exceeded skills context budget. All skill descriptions were removed and 1 additional skill was not included in the model-visible skills list."
.to_string()
)
);
let rendered_text = rendered.skill_lines.join("\n");
assert!(!rendered_text.contains("- oversized-system-skill:"));
assert!(rendered_text.contains("- repo-skill:"));
}
}