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refactor: compress squad.md workflow prompt from 110K to <30K chars (hybrid approach) #1684
Description
Problem
workflows/squad.md is 2682 lines / 110K chars (~30K tokens). With imports adding 25K more, the gh-aw runtime agent is overwhelmed. All modes except Cast (near top of file) are non-functional — the agent burns 65-93 AIC producing zero useful output.
Decision
Hybrid compression (see .squad/decisions/inbox/copilot-workflow-prompt-compression.md):
- Compress shared preamble to ~120 lines (imperative shorthand, no prose rationale)
- Compress each mode section to 50-100 lines (from 300-500)
- Cut verbose output templates → terse field lists
- Consolidate repeated prohibitions into one shared rule block
- Target: <900 lines / <30K chars for squad.md, <50K chars total with imports
Why Not Alternatives
| Option | Why rejected |
|---|---|
| Conditional imports | imports: is static YAML array — no conditional logic in gh-aw |
| Single-file <800 lines | 19 modes cannot fit meaningfully — sacrifices correctness |
| Mode-per-workflow | Requires multiple gh aw add — violates single-install constraint |
Acceptance Criteria
- All 19 modes produce correct output
- Total prompt (squad.md + imports) under 15K tokens
- Single
gh aw addstill installs everything - Cast mode quality unchanged
- Research, Triage, Plan modes functional (currently broken)
Approach
- Inventory each mode section — identify cut vs compress candidates
- Write compressed version iteratively (mode by mode)
- Test each mode against known-good inputs
- Measure final token count
/cc @bradygaster
Activity
github-actions commentedon Aug 11, 2026
🏗️ Squad Triage — Flight (Lead)
Issue: #1684 — refactor: compress squad.md workflow prompt from 110K to <30K chars (hybrid approach)
Assigned to: FIDO (Quality Owner)
Reason: Issue relates to testing/quality work
@copilot evaluation: 🔴 Not suitable — issue involves work outside the coding agent's capability profile.
Team roster:
squad:flightsquad:proceduressquad:eecomsquad:fidosquad:paosquad:capcomsquad:controlsquad:surgeonsquad:boostersquad:gncsquad:networksquad:retrosquad:incosquad:guidosquad:telemetrysquad:voxsquad:dskysquad:simssquad:handbooksquad:ralphsquad:copilotfix(workflows): restore planning imports, remove fragile runtime cat …