Context Notes
Learn how Context Notes give a Track durable background, instructions, and handoff context that Giga can reuse over time.
A Context Note gives a Track durable background that should remain useful across multiple Chats.
Use it for the things Giga and your teammates should know before they start working: what the Track is about, important constraints, standing instructions, terminology, or a handoff from someone who already understands the work.
What belongs in a Context Note?
A good Context Note captures information that is stable enough to reuse.
Background
What this Track covers, why it exists, and what someone should understand before jumping in.
Standing instructions
Rules, preferences, or constraints that should continue to apply to work in the Track.
Terminology
Names, internal language, definitions, and other context that helps Giga interpret the work correctly.
Handoffs
Useful context left by someone who already knows the work so the next person can start with less explanation.
Think “what should still be true next time?”
Context Notes work best for durable background. Fast-changing progress belongs in Memory, while authored work product belongs in Files.
Context Notes vs other Track information
Giga separates standing context from the things that change as work happens.
| If you want to keep… | Best place |
|---|---|
| Background, definitions, constraints, or standing instructions | Context Note |
| Progress, decisions, changes, or things learned over time | Memory |
| Reports, drafts, code, and other outputs | Files |
| The active back-and-forth where work gets done | Chats |
This keeps the Track useful without turning one giant note into a dumping ground for every detail.
Why Context Notes matter
Without durable context, every new Chat starts closer to a blank slate.
A Context Note gives Giga a stable point of reference, which can help it:
- understand the purpose of the Track
- avoid asking for information that has already been provided
- follow standing instructions and constraints
- use the same terminology your team uses
- pick up work with less repeated explanation
- make handoffs between people smoother
A Context Note is especially useful when several people work inside the same Track or when someone is joining work that already has history.
Example: a client Track
Imagine a Track called Acme rollout.
Its Context Note might contain:
Acme rollout
Acme is rolling Giga out to its operations and support teams. The first phase covers 25 users. Keep recommendations practical and prioritize workflows that can be adopted without engineering support.
Primary contacts: Maya Chen, Head of Operations; Jordan Lee, IT.
When preparing client-facing material, keep explanations concise and avoid internal Giga implementation terminology.
That information is useful across many Chats, so it belongs in the Track’s standing context rather than being rewritten every time.
Example: an onboarding handoff
A Context Note can also act as a handoff.
Someone inviting a teammate into Giga could leave a short note explaining:
- what they are responsible for
- which part of the business they are joining
- the most useful source or system to connect first
- anything important Giga should already know
That lets a new Chat begin with relevant context instead of asking the person to repeat information that is already available.
Keep handoffs useful and selective
Context should make the next interaction better. Avoid dumping an entire history into the note when a few durable facts will do.
What should stay out of a Context Note?
Some information has a better home elsewhere.
- Passwords, API keys, tokens, and other secrets belong in Giga’s secure credential system, never in a Context Note.
- Meaningful progress and changes belong in Memory.
- Large reports or working documents belong in Files.
- Structured records that will grow over time are usually better kept in a database.
- One-off instructions for a single Chat can stay in that Chat unless they should become a standing rule.
Updating a Context Note
Context changes sometimes. When it does, update the note so it reflects the standing truth of the Track.
A good edit usually does one of three things:
- adds durable context that will matter again
- changes a standing instruction or constraint
- removes context that is no longer true
Giga should read the existing Track context before changing it, so useful background is amended rather than accidentally overwritten.
Context Notes are deliberate
They are the curated background you choose to keep with the Track. Automatic or event-like memory is handled separately.
Permissions
A Context Note belongs to its Track, so the Track’s access boundary matters.
Because a Track lives inside a Group, the Group helps determine who can access the Track and its context. Put sensitive or personal work in the appropriate private Group rather than creating context in a broadly shared place.
Learn about Track sharing and permissions →
Image placeholder
Image placeholder
Show a Track with a Context Note open beside a Chat, illustrating how durable background carries into the work.