About principle-subtract-before-you-add
A development skill for evolving systems by simplifying them before adding new structure. It guides engineers and coding agents to prioritize observed needs and keep complexity and surface area in check.
Key features
- 01Remove complexity before building
- 02Cut to a minimum before polishing
- 03Design for observed usage
- 04Avoid speculative checks and parsers
- 05Simplify prompts and remove empty references
Use cases
- 01Reviewing a proposed feature before implementation
- 02Reducing complexity in an existing codebase
- 03Trimming redundant agent prompts
- 04Deciding whether unused reference files should remain
Install
Copy the command and run it in a terminal.
npx skills add https:/After installing, type/principle-subtract-before-you-addin Claude Code to confirm it loaded.
Bundled filesLICENSE
Details
From the project READMESubtract Before You Add
When evolving a system, remove complexity first, then build.
Why: Adding to a complex system compounds complexity. Removing first leaves less code, reveals the essential structure, and usually makes the next design obvious. Default to subtraction.
Make simplification a continual investment. Leave the design slightly simpler and more capable behind the same or smaller surface than you found it.
The pattern:
- Sequence removal before construction
- Cut before you polish (get to the minimum before investing in quality)
- Design for observed usage, not speculative edge cases
- No speculative validators, parsers, or guards beyond what the spec demands
- Simplify prompts (remove redundant instructions, excessive templates)
- When a reference has no novel content, delete it rather than leaving a stub