Claude Code’s Hidden Context Tax

Logosofia no Dia a Dia · Apr 24, 2026 · 23m

Bigger context windows don’t mean unlimited working memory—Claude’s hidden overhead can quietly degrade performance. This episode breaks down the hierarchy of context costs, from subagents (400-800 tokens each) to lazy-loaded MCP tools (near-free). Learn why eager vs. lazy loading matters more than raw size, how plugin sprawl inflates your startup tax, and practical optimizations to reclaim 25-30% of your effective context. The difference isn’t just speed—it’s the gap between a focused assistant and one that forgets mid-task. Episode 2400 — myweirdprompts.com/n/2400 (permanent short link…