Global vs Project Context
Not all agent context belongs in the repository.
APC is specifically for project-level context. It should stay distinct from user-global or runtime-global state.
Project context
Project context travels with the repository.
Examples:
- project metadata
- agent roles
- reusable skills
- curated project memory
- project-specific MCP hints
Global context
Global context belongs to a user account, workstation, or runtime installation.
Examples:
- personal writing preferences across all projects
- machine-local API keys
- globally installed tools
- editor UI choices
- personal aliases unrelated to one repository
- private runtime memory
Why separation helps
If global and project context mix freely:
- repositories become less portable
- secrets leak more easily
- contributors cannot tell what is shared
- tool behavior becomes harder to reproduce
APC encourages a simple rule:
If another contributor cloning the repository should inherit it, it probably belongs in APC.