The plain-English version
Loading relevant context in stages as the task reveals which evidence is needed.
Why it matters
It can keep unrelated material out of the active task.
Let’s make it click
A coding assistant reads a file map, then the relevant handler and its caller, and only then opens the test fixture needed to check a hypothesis.
Vibe Bro’s heads-up
Exploration can add latency or miss evidence. Essential constraints and the goal still belong in the initial brief.
You might also hear
- just in time context
- staged retrieval
- context navigation
The docs behind it
Research sources reviewed .
Editorial review · October 28, 2026
Supported: Anthropic explicitly describes lightweight references and on-demand retrieval, with a latency/tool-design tradeoff. The staged repository example is original.