SuperCompress vs sliding window

How sliding windows work

A sliding window keeps the last N tokens of conversation history, discarding everything older. If a user asked about their account settings 20 turns ago and then asks a new question about billing, the sliding window has already dropped the account context.

With SuperCompress, every line is scored against the latest query. Old context that remains relevant — like the user's account type, previous issues, or preferences — is preserved. Irrelevant recent chatter is dropped instead.

Benchmark comparison

When to use each

Sliding windows are appropriate when conversation recency is the only relevance criterion — for example, a simple Q&A bot where each turn is independent. SuperCompress is better when historical context matters: multi-turn agent interactions, customer support conversations, and complex problem-solving sessions.

For best results, combine both: compress first with SuperCompress, then apply a generous sliding window as a safety cap.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use SuperCompress and a sliding window together?

Yes. Compress first to remove irrelevant content, then cap the result with a sliding window at your maximum context budget. This gives you the best of both approaches.

Does a sliding window lose information permanently?

Yes. Sliding window truncation drops the oldest tokens. Once dropped, that information cannot be recovered for future turns.