# anti-entropy-governance

Governs code retirement, eliminates duplicate logic, and stops automated deletion of database tables or persistent state without explicit confirmation.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · ★ 1388
- Author: GanyuanRan
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/GanyuanRan/Aegis/tree/HEAD/skills/anti-entropy-governance/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-25
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/anti-entropy-governance

## What it does

The skill guides the assistant during cleanup and deprecation tasks. Instead of keeping dead logic indefinitely, it applies a `delete-first` strategy to internal code and retires redundant fallbacks. When real external consumers rely on a module, it switches to a compatibility exception.

Targets fall into distinct groups: source files, contract definitions, rebuildable caches, and persistent storage. The rule enforces strict stops for irreversible live state. Destructive actions like `DROP TABLE` or row truncation never execute on their own. Before any destructive step, the agent outputs a Data Destruction Guard summary.

Generic approvals like "OK" or "continue" will not unlock live deletion: the agent demands explicit confirmation defining the exact scope. This prevents accidental data loss during architectural migrations.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add GanyuanRan/Aegis --skill anti-entropy-governance -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/anti-entropy-governance/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/anti-entropy-governance/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add GanyuanRan/Aegis --skill anti-entropy-governance -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/anti-entropy-governance/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add GanyuanRan/Aegis --skill anti-entropy-governance -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/anti-entropy-governance/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install GanyuanRan/Aegis anti-entropy-governance
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/anti-entropy-governance/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add GanyuanRan/Aegis --skill anti-entropy-governance -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/GanyuanRan/Aegis --path skills/anti-entropy-governance
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/anti-entropy-governance/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add GanyuanRan/Aegis --skill anti-entropy-governance -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/GanyuanRan/Aegis/tree/HEAD/skills/anti-entropy-governance/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- clean up obsolete internal branches and fallback logic
- prevent unconfirmed DROP TABLE or TRUNCATE commands
- collapse duplicate owners into a single canonical module
- separate source code cleanup from persistent data deletion

## Example prompts
- Retire the deprecated payment handler and migrate calls to the new service
- Review this schema migration and remove the obsolete user columns
- Clean up legacy fallbacks after switching to the canonical data pipeline

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: f84645ddbce29f95.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE f84645ddbce29f95
```text
---
name: anti-entropy-governance
description: "Use when touching retiring old logic, collapsing duplicate owners, removing fallbacks, or schema/persistence/source-of-truth boundaries; identify opportunities automatically; destructive execution requires explicit confirmation."
---

# Anti-Entropy

## Overview

Use this skill when the task is not merely "change code" but "remove old paths
safely without growing entropy".

This skill chooses between:

- `delete-first` for internal code retirement
- `compat-exception` for proven external dependency boundaries
- `confirmation-first` for irreversible state or an external contract whose
  distributed consumers cannot be observed

It does not replace `brainstorming`, `writing-plans`,
`systematic-debugging`, or `verification-before-completion`. It is a narrow
governance owner for retirement, fallback collapse, duplicate-owner cleanup,
and deletion safety.

## When to Use

Use when any of these are true:

- old logic, duplicate owners, or stale fallbacks should be retired
- a candidate fix is "delete old path" vs "add another fallback"
- internal keyword / phrase / trigger logic is being replaced by structured logic
- a new canonical owner exists and the old owner may still carry real behavior
- a cleanup, migration, or deprecation task touches schema, persistence,
  source-of-truth, or external compatibility boundaries
- the task risks confusing code retirement with live data deletion

Do not use for:

- pure additive feature work with no retirement decision
- tiny wording edits
- simple status or read-only Q&A
- normal bug fixes that do not involve owner collapse, fallback cleanup, or
  deletion choice

## Auto-Compose Boundary

This skill should be composed by other owners. It should not become a new
global hot-path entry.

Prefer composition from:

- `brainstorming` for approach selection involving retirement or persistence risk
- `writing-plans` for plans that delete old paths or touch schema / migration /
  persistence
- `systematic-debugging` when the tempting fix is fallback growth or
  delete-vs-retain
- `verification-before-completion` for cleanup / retirement / compatibility /
  migration closeout

Load automatically when the task touches owner collapse, fallback removal, or schema/persistence/source-of-truth boundaries. Automatic loading identifies and advises only; destructive execution still requires explicit scoped user confirmation.

## Core Principle

Default to reducing internal entropy, not preserving internal history.

Retirement is responsibility-scoped before it is carrier-scoped. Name the
obsolete or duplicated authority first. If the same carrier has a separately
evidenced legitimate role, remove the invalid responsibility and keep only
that role-scoped capability; this is not a compatibility exception. Apply
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE f84645ddbce29f95

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---
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