Mistral Vibe: New /context Command Shows What Fills the Context Window
Mistral VibeMistral Vibe 3.1.0 added a /context command that shows what is filling the model's context window. It breaks usage into the system prompt, tool definitions, skills, conversation, free space and the auto-compaction buffer, with a per-category token estimate. Clicking the footer's token counter opens the same view.
Key Takeaways
/contextshows what fills the window, split into system prompt, tool definitions, skills, conversation, free space and the compaction buffer.- Each category gets a per-category token estimate, so a nearly full gauge now has a visible cause.
- Clicking the footer's token counter opens the same breakdown without typing a command.
- The view lists the auto-compaction buffer separately, so users can see space Mistral Vibe reserves for compaction.
- Users with many MCP tools or skills can now see how much of the window those definitions consume.
- The release also reworked the footer gauge into a bar with a
ctx 23k/600ktext form, which pairs with the new view.
What is new
Mistral Vibe 3.1.0 added a /context slash command that shows what is taking up space in the model's context window. Before this release, the footer showed a single token gauge, which said how full the window was but not why.
What the breakdown shows
/context splits the window into categories, each with a token estimate:
- The system prompt
- Tool definitions
- Skills
- The conversation itself
- Free space
- The auto-compaction buffer
The last category matters in long sessions. It shows how much room Mistral Vibe holds back so that automatic compaction can run before the window is full.
Another way in
The command can also be opened by clicking the footer's token counter. In the same release the footer gauge was reworked to read as a bar, and the text form reads like ctx 23k/600k. The click target and the command lead to the same view.
Why it matters
Heavy MCP or connector setups can add many tool definitions, and large skill sets add more. With the per-category numbers, a user can tell whether the window is crowded by tools and skills or by the conversation. That helps decide between trimming tools, clearing the session or letting compaction run.