Claude Code v2.1.299 release adds idle conversation compaction, new environment variables

EXHIBIT 2037 · URGENT

Oct 14, 2026 03:25 UTC github_releases+pages https://raw.githubusercontent.com/anthropics/claude-code/main/CHANGELOG.md

Claude Code v2.1.299 release adds idle conversation compaction, new environment variables for file mentions and attribution, and enhanced modding capabilities with media access and session identity.

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claude code v2.1.299 just dropped! excited about idle compaction to save tokens on long convos, and new env vars for file mentions. less reprocessing!

anthropic's claude code is getting some cool modding updates in v2.1.299. mods can now access image/document bytes and session identity. dev tools are leveling up.

[MERGED across 2 sources: github_releases, pages] shared signal: claude-code --- github_releases :: anthropics/claude-code --- anthropics/claude-code release: v2.1.299 name: v2.1.299 published: 2026-10-14T02:49:42Z url: https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/releases/tag/v2.1.299 ## What's changed - Added `CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_FILE_MENTIONS` environment variable: Claude gets the paths of `@` file mentions to read with its file tools, not the files' contents - Added idle compaction in the terminal: a 200K+ token conversation left idle for about 54 minutes is compacted before its one-hour prompt cache expires, so your next message doesn't reprocess it all - Added `CLAUDE_CODE_IDLE_COMPACT_MIN_TOKENS` to change idle compaction's 200K-token minimum; `"idleCompaction": false` in settings.json turns it off. Both need v2.1.290 or later - Added `$.prompt.media` so a `prompt.submit` hook of a mod installed by managed settings can read the bytes of an image or document attached to the prompt - Added `$.session.identity()` for mods installed by managed settings: how the session is signed in, and its organization and email when managed `forceLoginOrgUUID` lists that organization - Added `size`, `weight`, `mono` and `tabular` to a mod's `Text` and named spacing steps (`xs` to `xl`) to its `Box`; `bold` is deprecated in favor of `weight` - Added `--shutdown-drain-sec` to `claude self-hosted-runner orchestrator`: on SIGTERM it stops polling and gives the poll in flight and running spawn hooks up to that many seconds to finish - Added the skill's frontmatter, source, plugin name and file path to what a mod's `skill.prompt` hook receives - Added `/effort` and `/fast` in agent view to set what new sessions start with; a bare `/model`, `/effort` or `/fast` there now opens a picker - Added a "safe mode" line to the agents view peek panel for background sessions started with `--safe-mode` - Added a one-time note when plan mode won't ask before most edits or commands because bypass