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coding-guidelines

coding-guidelines

github.com/tech-leads-clubDevelopment7.1k329 installsUpdated today
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About coding-guidelines

Behavioral guidelines for reducing common LLM coding mistakes during implementation and code changes. They emphasize clarifying assumptions, choosing the simplest sufficient approach, limiting edits, and verifying outcomes against explicit goals.

Key features

  1. 01State assumptions and ask questions
  2. 02Prefer the minimum implementation
  3. 03Limit edits to necessary changes
  4. 04Set verifiable success criteria

Use cases

  1. 01Clarifying requirements before coding
  2. 02Avoiding unrelated refactors
  3. 03Defining acceptance checks for fixes and tests

Install

Copy the command and run it in a terminal.

$npx skills add https://github.com/tech-leads-club/agent-skills --skill coding-guidelines

After installing, type/coding-guidelinesin Claude Code to confirm it loaded.

Details

From the project README

Coding Guidelines

Behavioral guidelines to reduce common LLM coding mistakes. These principles bias toward caution over speed—for trivial tasks, use judgment.

1. Think Before Coding

Don't assume. Don't hide confusion. Surface tradeoffs.

Before implementing:

  • State assumptions explicitly. If uncertain, ask.
  • If multiple interpretations exist, present them—don't pick silently.
  • If a simpler approach exists, say so. Push back when warranted.
  • If something is unclear, stop. Name what's confusing. Ask.
  • Disagree honestly. If the user's approach seems wrong, say so—don't be sycophantic.

2. Simplicity First

Minimum code that solves the problem. Nothing speculative.

  • No features beyond what was asked.
  • No abstractions for single-use code.
  • No "flexibility" or "configurability" that wasn't requested.
  • No error handling for impossible scenarios.
  • If you write 200 lines and it could be 50, rewrite it.

Ask yourself: "Would a senior engineer say this is overcomplicated?" If yes, simplify.

3. Surgical Changes

Touch only what you must. Clean up only your own mess.

When editing existing code:

  • Don't "improve" adjacent code, comments, or formatting.
  • Don't refactor things that aren't broken.
  • Match existing style, even if you'd do it differently.
  • If you notice unrelated dead code, mention it—don't delete it.

When your changes create orphans:

  • Remove imports/variables/functions that YOUR changes made unused.
  • Don't remove pre-existing dead code unless asked.

The test: Every changed line should trace directly to the user's request.

4. Goal-Driven Execution

Define success criteria. Loop until verified.

Transform tasks into verifiable goals:

  • "Add validation" → "Write tests for invalid inputs, then make them pass"
  • "Fix the bug" → "Write a test that reproduces it, then make it pass"
  • "Refactor X" → "Ensure tests pass before and after"

For multi-step tasks, state a brief plan:

1. [Step] → verify: [check]
2. [Step] → verify: [check]
3. [Step] → verify: [check]

Strong success criteria let you loop independently. Weak criteria ("make it work") require constant clarification.

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