Compression Management
Create, manage, and use compressions to reduce token usage and improve AI context quality.
Create Compressions
Basic Compression
Compress a single document:
metaphori compress document.txtCompress multiple files:
metaphori compress "*.md" "docs/*.txt"Compression Options
Named compressions with description:
metaphori compress -n "Analysis Doc" --description "Q4 analysis" report.mdUsing templates:
metaphori compress -t 1 document.txt # Use template 1Compression levels:
metaphori compress -l high doc.txt # Good compression
metaphori compress -l higher doc.txt # Better compression
metaphori compress -l highest doc.txt # Best compressionHigher levels provide better compression but may take longer.
Interactive mode:
metaphori compress -i document.txtGuides you through compression options interactively.
Advanced Options
Recursive file search:
metaphori compress -r "**/*.md"Exclude patterns:
metaphori compress --exclude "*.test.*" "*.js"File size limits:
metaphori compress --max-file-size 10MB "*.log"Code Compression
The codebase command is optimized for compressing entire codebases:
Compress Go project:
metaphori codebase "*.go"Compress React project:
metaphori codebase -r "**/*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}"Full codebase (no sampling):
metaphori codebase --full "*.py"By default, large codebases are sampled. Use --full to include everything.
Limit number of files:
metaphori codebase --max-files 200 "src/**/*.java"Named codebase compression:
metaphori codebase -n "My API" --description "REST API implementation" "*.go"List & Manage Compressions
List Compressions
Basic list:
metaphori listDetailed view:
metaphori list -dShows creation date, size, and token counts.
JSON output:
metaphori list -jFor scripting and automation.
Sync Compressions
Download all your compressions from the server:
metaphori syncForce full re-sync:
metaphori sync -fTip: Sync is useful when switching machines or after creating compressions via the web interface.
Using Compressions
Chat with Compressions
Basic chat:
metaphori chat -c mph_c_xxxxx "explain this code"Specify model:
metaphori chat -c mph_c_xxxxx -m gpt-4o-mini "summarize the main points"Save output to file:
metaphori chat -c mph_c_xxxxx --output response.md "analyze performance"File References in Chat
Include additional files in your prompts using @ syntax:
metaphori chat "analyze @main.go and compare with @test.go"Files referenced with @ are included in the context alongside any compression.
Compression IDs
Each compression gets a unique ID like mph_c_bc96f970f099. You can:
- Use it in CLI commands
- Pass it to the OpenAI-compatible API
- Share it with team members (they need access to the same account)
- Reference it in integrations
Best Practices
๐ Use Descriptive Names
Always use -n and --description for better organization.
๐ฏ Choose the Right Level
Start with high compression. Use highest for very large documents.
๐ Update Regularly
Recreate compressions when your codebase changes significantly.
Ready for interactive mode?
Learn about Sherpa, Metaphori's powerful REPL for interactive AI sessions.
Continue to Interactive Mode โ