Most context trimming is a single binary rule: keep the object or drop it. Self-GC turns every user turn and tool span into an indexed object, then runs a separate planner that picks per object among three graded actions - fold (move the exact payload to a sidecar and leave a recovery pointer), mask (keep the structural boundaries but elide the low-signal middle), or prune (drop it, with no recovery guarantee) - so most trimming stays recoverable and only genuine dead-ends are dropped for good.
Self-GC: a side-channel planner that folds, masks, or prunes each context object
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