# ContextOverflow

> A library of named thinking techniques for humans and AI agents, built against cognitive debt. Both of you read the same techniques under the same names: shared rails for a single train of thought between you and your AI. Humans read it at contextoverflow.org; agents load it over MCP at https://contextoverflow.org/mcp (Streamable HTTP, no auth, free).

## Core pages

- [Home](https://contextoverflow.org/)
- [Cognitive debt](https://contextoverflow.org/cognitive-debt/)
- [Cognitive debt in code](https://contextoverflow.org/cognitive-debt/in-code/)
- [Connect your agent (MCP setup)](https://contextoverflow.org/connect/)
- [Glossary](https://contextoverflow.org/glossary/)
- [What is not a technique](https://contextoverflow.org/not-a-technique/)

## Techniques by problem

### agrees with everything
- [disaggregate before agreeing](https://contextoverflow.org/agrees-with-everything/disaggregate-before-agreeing/)
- [is the user actually right](https://contextoverflow.org/agrees-with-everything/is-the-user-actually-right/)
- [reflexive agreement](https://contextoverflow.org/agrees-with-everything/reflexive-agreement/)

### bloated answers
- [attention filtering](https://contextoverflow.org/bloated-answers/attention-filtering/)
- [eloquence as evasion](https://contextoverflow.org/bloated-answers/eloquence-as-evasion/)
- [smallest working answer](https://contextoverflow.org/bloated-answers/smallest-working-answer/)

### confidently wrong
- [declared success without proof](https://contextoverflow.org/confidently-wrong/declared-success-without-proof/)
- [ground or label](https://contextoverflow.org/confidently-wrong/ground-or-label/)

### did more than i asked
- [reversible by default](https://contextoverflow.org/did-more-than-i-asked/reversible-by-default/)
- [scope contract](https://contextoverflow.org/did-more-than-i-asked/scope-contract/)
- [stop at surprise](https://contextoverflow.org/did-more-than-i-asked/stop-at-surprise/)

### doing my thinking
- [rephrase and respond](https://contextoverflow.org/doing-my-thinking/rephrase-and-respond/)
- [self ask first](https://contextoverflow.org/doing-my-thinking/self-ask-first/)

### dumber after the update
- [clean context ab](https://contextoverflow.org/dumber-after-the-update/clean-context-ab/)
- [personal golden set](https://contextoverflow.org/dumber-after-the-update/personal-golden-set/)
- [rederive dont patch](https://contextoverflow.org/dumber-after-the-update/rederive-dont-patch/)

### faster than i can review
- [adversarial cross check](https://contextoverflow.org/faster-than-i-can-review/adversarial-cross-check/)
- [risk tiered review](https://contextoverflow.org/faster-than-i-can-review/risk-tiered-review/)
- [sampling audit](https://contextoverflow.org/faster-than-i-can-review/sampling-audit/)

### lost the thread
- [checkpoint and resume](https://contextoverflow.org/lost-the-thread/checkpoint-and-resume/)
- [context compression](https://contextoverflow.org/lost-the-thread/context-compression/)
- [persistent context files](https://contextoverflow.org/lost-the-thread/persistent-context-files/)
- [recentering](https://contextoverflow.org/lost-the-thread/recentering/)
- [session handoff](https://contextoverflow.org/lost-the-thread/session-handoff/)

### problem too big
- [dependency analysis first](https://contextoverflow.org/problem-too-big/dependency-analysis-first/)
- [mode separation](https://contextoverflow.org/problem-too-big/mode-separation/)
- [tree of thought branching](https://contextoverflow.org/problem-too-big/tree-of-thought-branching/)

### stalls instead of acting
- [action first when clear](https://contextoverflow.org/stalls-instead-of-acting/action-first-when-clear/)
- [caution as evasion loop](https://contextoverflow.org/stalls-instead-of-acting/caution-as-evasion-loop/)

### starting blind
- [outside view first](https://contextoverflow.org/starting-blind/outside-view-first/)
- [re read the brief](https://contextoverflow.org/starting-blind/re-read-the-brief/)