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Other / AGENT SKILL
reducing-entropy
0
Reduce total codebase size through a deletion-focused approach when explicitly requested.
Manual-only skill for minimizing total codebase size. Only activate when explicitly requested by user. Measures success by final code amount, not effort. Bias toward deletion.
Understand the trade-offs.
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The full skill.
Original instructions from the publisher’s SKILL.md
# Reducing Entropy More code begets more code. Entropy accumulates. This skill biases toward the smallest possible codebase. **Core question:** "What does the codebase look like *after*?" ## Before You Begin **Load at least one mindset from `references/`** 1. List the files in the reference directory 2. Read frontmatter descriptions to pick which applies 3. Load at least one 4. State which you loaded and its core principle **Do not proceed until you've done this.** ## The Goal The goal is **less total code in the final codebase** - not less code to write right now. - Writing 50 lines that delete 200 lines = net win - Keeping 14 functions to avoid writing 2 = net loss - "No churn" is not a goal. Less code is the goal. **Measure the end state, not the effort.** ## Three Questions ### 1. What's the smallest codebase that solves this? Not "what's the smallest change" - what's the smallest *result*. - Could this be 2 functions instead of 14? - Could this be 0 functions (delete the feature)? - What would we delete if we did this? ### 2. Does the proposed change result in less total code? Count lines before and after. If after > before, reject it. - "Better organized" but more code = more entropy - "More flexible" but more code = more entropy - "Cleaner separation" but more code = more entropy ### 3. What can we delete? Every change is an opportunity to delete. Ask: - What does this make obsolete? - What was only needed because of what we're replacing? - What's the maximum we could remove? ## Red Flags - **"Keep what exists"** - Status quo bias. The question is total code, not churn. - **"This adds flexibility"** - Flexibility for what? YAGNI. - **"Better separation of concerns"** - More files/functions = more code. Separation isn't free. - **"Type safety"** - Worth how many lines? Sometimes runtime checks in less code wins. - **"Easier to understand"** - 14 things are not easier than 2 things. ## When This Doesn't Apply - The codebase is already minimal for what it does - You're in a framework with strong conventions (don't fight it) - Regulatory/compliance requirements mandate certain structures ## Reference Mindsets See `references/` for philosophical grounding. To add new mindsets, see `adding-reference-mindsets.md`. --- **Bias toward deletion. Measure the end state.**