diff --git a/backend/.coverage b/backend/.coverage
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da6d65f
Binary files /dev/null and b/backend/.coverage differ
diff --git a/backend/alembic/versions/27b2c306b0c6_add_short_id_column_to_products.py b/backend/alembic/versions/27b2c306b0c6_add_short_id_column_to_products.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8f4cde4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/alembic/versions/27b2c306b0c6_add_short_id_column_to_products.py
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+"""add short_id column to products
+
+Revision ID: 27b2c306b0c6
+Revises: 2697b4f1972d
+Create Date: 2026-03-06 10:54:13.308340
+
+"""
+
+from typing import Sequence, Union
+
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+from alembic import op
+
+# revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
+revision: str = "27b2c306b0c6"
+down_revision: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = "2697b4f1972d"
+branch_labels: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+depends_on: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    """Upgrade schema.
+
+    Add short_id column (8-char prefix of UUID) for LLM token optimization.
+    Handles collisions by regenerating conflicting short_ids.
+    """
+    # Step 1: Add column (nullable initially)
+    op.add_column("products", sa.Column("short_id", sa.String(8), nullable=True))
+
+    # Step 2: Populate from existing UUIDs with collision detection
+    connection = op.get_bind()
+
+    # Get all products
+    result = connection.execute(sa.text("SELECT id FROM products"))
+    products = [(str(row[0]),) for row in result]
+
+    # Track used short_ids to detect collisions
+    used_short_ids = set()
+
+    for (product_id,) in products:
+        short_id = product_id[:8]
+
+        # Handle collision: regenerate using next 8 chars, or random
+        if short_id in used_short_ids:
+            # Try using chars 9-17
+            alternative = product_id[9:17] if len(product_id) > 16 else None
+            if alternative and alternative not in used_short_ids:
+                short_id = alternative
+            else:
+                # Generate random 8-char hex
+                import secrets
+
+                while True:
+                    short_id = secrets.token_hex(4)  # 8 hex chars
+                    if short_id not in used_short_ids:
+                        break
+
+            print(f"COLLISION RESOLVED: UUID {product_id} → short_id {short_id}")
+
+        used_short_ids.add(short_id)
+
+        # Update product with short_id
+        connection.execute(
+            sa.text("UPDATE products SET short_id = :short_id WHERE id = :id"),
+            {"short_id": short_id, "id": product_id},
+        )
+
+    # Step 3: Add NOT NULL constraint
+    op.alter_column("products", "short_id", nullable=False)
+
+    # Step 4: Add unique constraint
+    op.create_unique_constraint("uq_products_short_id", "products", ["short_id"])
+
+    # Step 5: Add index for fast lookups
+    op.create_index("idx_products_short_id", "products", ["short_id"])
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    """Downgrade schema."""
+    op.drop_index("idx_products_short_id", table_name="products")
+    op.drop_constraint("uq_products_short_id", "products", type_="unique")
+    op.drop_column("products", "short_id")
diff --git a/backend/innercontext/api/llm_context.py b/backend/innercontext/api/llm_context.py
index 6b9b19e..6ffc68e 100644
--- a/backend/innercontext/api/llm_context.py
+++ b/backend/innercontext/api/llm_context.py
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ def build_product_context_summary(product: Product, has_inventory: bool = False)
     safety_str = f" safety={{{','.join(safety_flags)}}}" if safety_flags else ""
 
     return (
-        f"{status} {str(product.id)[:8]} | {product.brand} {product.name} "
+        f"{status} {product.short_id} | {product.brand} {product.name} "
         f"({product.category}){effects_str}{safety_str}"
     )
 
diff --git a/backend/innercontext/api/product_llm_tools.py b/backend/innercontext/api/product_llm_tools.py
index 44f03aa..e152fd6 100644
--- a/backend/innercontext/api/product_llm_tools.py
+++ b/backend/innercontext/api/product_llm_tools.py
@@ -96,9 +96,12 @@ def _map_product_details(
     The 128-ingredient INCI list was consuming ~15KB per product.
     For safety/clinical decisions, actives + effect_profile are sufficient.
 
+    Uses short_id (8 chars) for LLM consistency - translation layer expands
+    to full UUID before validation/database storage.
+
     Args:
         product: Product to map
-        pid: Product ID string
+        pid: Product short_id (8 characters, e.g., "77cbf37c")
         last_used_on: Last usage date
         include_inci: Whether to include full INCI list (default: False)
 
@@ -193,7 +196,7 @@ def build_product_details_tool_handler(
             products_payload.append(
                 _map_product_details(
                     product,
-                    full_id,  # Always use full ID in response
+                    product.short_id,  # Return short_id for LLM consistency
                     last_used_on=last_used_on_by_product.get(full_id),
                 )
             )
diff --git a/backend/innercontext/api/routines.py b/backend/innercontext/api/routines.py
index c97fc71..7134beb 100644
--- a/backend/innercontext/api/routines.py
+++ b/backend/innercontext/api/routines.py
@@ -400,6 +400,42 @@ def _get_products_with_inventory(
     return set(inventory_rows)
 
 
+def _expand_product_id(session: Session, short_or_full_id: str) -> UUID | None:
+    """
+    Expand 8-char short_id to full UUID, or validate full UUID.
+
+    Translation layer between LLM world (8-char short_ids) and application world
+    (36-char UUIDs). LLM sees/uses short_ids for token optimization, but
+    validators and database use full UUIDs.
+
+    Args:
+        session: Database session
+        short_or_full_id: Either short_id ("77cbf37c") or full UUID
+
+    Returns:
+        Full UUID if product exists, None otherwise
+    """
+    # Already a full UUID?
+    if len(short_or_full_id) == 36:
+        try:
+            uuid_obj = UUID(short_or_full_id)
+            # Verify it exists
+            product = session.get(Product, uuid_obj)
+            return uuid_obj if product else None
+        except (ValueError, TypeError):
+            return None
+
+    # Short ID (8 chars) - indexed lookup
+    if len(short_or_full_id) == 8:
+        product = session.exec(
+            select(Product).where(Product.short_id == short_or_full_id)
+        ).first()
+        return product.id if product else None
+
+    # Invalid length
+    return None
+
+
 def _build_objectives_context(include_minoxidil_beard: bool) -> str:
     if include_minoxidil_beard:
         return (
@@ -686,17 +722,26 @@ def suggest_routine(
     except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=502, detail=f"LLM returned invalid JSON: {e}")
 
-    steps = [
-        SuggestedStep(
-            product_id=UUID(s["product_id"]) if s.get("product_id") else None,
-            action_type=s.get("action_type") or None,
-            action_notes=s.get("action_notes"),
-            region=s.get("region"),
-            why_this_step=s.get("why_this_step"),
-            optional=s.get("optional"),
+    # Translation layer: Expand short_ids (8 chars) to full UUIDs (36 chars)
+    steps = []
+    for s in parsed.get("steps", []):
+        product_id_str = s.get("product_id")
+        product_id_uuid = None
+
+        if product_id_str:
+            # Expand short_id or validate full UUID
+            product_id_uuid = _expand_product_id(session, product_id_str)
+
+        steps.append(
+            SuggestedStep(
+                product_id=product_id_uuid,
+                action_type=s.get("action_type") or None,
+                action_notes=s.get("action_notes"),
+                region=s.get("region"),
+                why_this_step=s.get("why_this_step"),
+                optional=s.get("optional"),
+            )
         )
-        for s in parsed.get("steps", [])
-    ]
 
     summary_raw = parsed.get("summary") or {}
     confidence_raw = summary_raw.get("confidence", 0)
@@ -854,11 +899,19 @@ def suggest_batch(
         raise HTTPException(status_code=502, detail=f"LLM returned invalid JSON: {e}")
 
     def _parse_steps(raw_steps: list) -> list[SuggestedStep]:
+        """Parse steps and expand short_ids to full UUIDs."""
         result = []
         for s in raw_steps:
+            product_id_str = s.get("product_id")
+            product_id_uuid = None
+
+            if product_id_str:
+                # Translation layer: expand short_id to full UUID
+                product_id_uuid = _expand_product_id(session, product_id_str)
+
             result.append(
                 SuggestedStep(
-                    product_id=UUID(s["product_id"]) if s.get("product_id") else None,
+                    product_id=product_id_uuid,
                     action_type=s.get("action_type") or None,
                     action_notes=s.get("action_notes"),
                     region=s.get("region"),
diff --git a/backend/innercontext/models/product.py b/backend/innercontext/models/product.py
index c6c4a81..db4ed15 100644
--- a/backend/innercontext/models/product.py
+++ b/backend/innercontext/models/product.py
@@ -142,6 +142,12 @@ class Product(ProductBase, table=True):
     __domains__: ClassVar[frozenset[Domain]] = frozenset({Domain.SKINCARE})
 
     id: UUID = Field(default_factory=uuid4, primary_key=True)
+    short_id: str = Field(
+        max_length=8,
+        unique=True,
+        index=True,
+        description="8-character short ID for LLM contexts (first 8 chars of UUID)",
+    )
 
     # Override 9 JSON fields with sa_column (only in table model)
     inci: list[str] = Field(
@@ -214,6 +220,11 @@ class Product(ProductBase, table=True):
         if self.price_currency is not None:
             self.price_currency = self.price_currency.upper()
 
+        # Auto-generate short_id from UUID if not set
+        # Migration handles existing products; this is for new products
+        if not hasattr(self, "short_id") or not self.short_id:
+            self.short_id = str(self.id)[:8]
+
         return self
 
     def to_llm_context(
diff --git a/backend/jobs/2026-03-02__17-12-31/job.log b/backend/jobs/2026-03-02__17-12-31/job.log
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/backend/pgloader.config b/backend/pgloader.config
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..877cd1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/pgloader.config
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+LOAD DATABASE
+     FROM postgresql://innercontext_user:dpeBM6P79CZovjLKQdXc@192.168.101.83/innercontext
+     INTO sqlite:///Users/piotr/dev/innercontext/backend/innercontext.db
+
+ WITH include drop,
+      create tables,
+      create indexes,
+      reset sequences
+
+ SET work_mem to '16MB',
+     maintenance_work_mem to '512 MB';
+