# configs-variations

A skill for running experiments on AI configs: change the model, prompt or parameters one at a time and compare what comes out.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 1800 installs · ★ 28
- Author: launchdarkly
- License: Apache-2.0 · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/launchdarkly/ai-tooling/tree/HEAD/skills/agentcontrol/configs-variations/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-24
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/configs-variations

## What it does

The skill walks you through config experiments. You state a hypothesis, create a variation, then check what actually moved. The main tool is `clone-ai-config-variation`: it copies the baseline variation and overrides only the fields you are testing. Everything else is inherited from the source.

Change one thing per variation. Testing a cheaper model? Pass only `modelConfigKey` and `modelName`, and leave `instructions`, `messages` and `parameters` alone. Testing a prompt? Pass only `instructions`. Models need a key in the `{Provider}.{model-id}` format, such as `OpenAI.gpt-4o-mini` or `Anthropic.claude-sonnet-4-5`, or the variation shows up in the UI as NO MODEL.

The baseline is off limits. Even when you ask to replace a model, the right move is to add a new variation next to it and let targeting control traffic. That keeps something to compare against and something to roll back to. You need the remotely hosted LaunchDarkly MCP server configured first, otherwise the skill has nothing to call.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add launchdarkly/ai-tooling --skill configs-variations -a claude-code
```

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

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add launchdarkly/ai-tooling --skill configs-variations -a codex
```

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

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add launchdarkly/ai-tooling --skill configs-variations -a cursor
```

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

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install launchdarkly/ai-tooling configs-variations
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/configs-variations/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add launchdarkly/ai-tooling --skill configs-variations -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/launchdarkly/ai-tooling --path skills/agentcontrol/configs-variations
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

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

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add launchdarkly/ai-tooling --skill configs-variations -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/launchdarkly/ai-tooling/tree/HEAD/skills/agentcontrol/configs-variations/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- compare a cheap model against an expensive one on the same task
- check whether a rewritten prompt improves accuracy
- cut latency by lowering `max_tokens`
- add a config variation without touching the baseline
- clean up a failed experiment by deleting its variation

## Example prompts
- Clone the current config variation and override only the model to OpenAI.gpt-4o-mini
- Use get-ai-config to list the variations that already exist for this config
- Create a variation with new instructions, leave the model and parameters as they are

## Source text · SKILL.md · Apache-2.0

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: ef17a876c6a5b5e8.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE ef17a876c6a5b5e8
```text
---
name: configs-variations
description: "Experiment with configs by creating and managing variations. Helps you test different models, prompts, and parameters to find what works best through systematic experimentation."
license: Apache-2.0
compatibility: Requires the remotely hosted LaunchDarkly MCP server
metadata:
  author: launchdarkly
  version: "1.0.0-experimental"
---

# Config Variations

You're using a skill that will guide you through testing and optimizing configs through variations. Your job is to design experiments, create variations, and systematically find what works best.

## Prerequisites

This skill requires the remotely hosted LaunchDarkly MCP server to be configured in your environment.

**Primary MCP tool:**
- `clone-ai-config-variation` -- clone a baseline variation with selective overrides (recommended for experimentation)

**Alternative MCP tools (for more control):**
- `get-ai-config` -- review existing variations before adding new ones
- `create-ai-config-variation` -- create new variations from scratch

**Optional MCP tools:**
- `update-ai-config-variation` -- refine a variation after creation
- `delete-ai-config-variation` -- remove variations that didn't work out

## Core Principles

1. **Test One Thing at a Time**: Change model OR prompt OR parameters, not all at once
2. **Have a Hypothesis**: Know what you're trying to improve
3. **Measure Results**: Use metrics to compare variations
4. **Verify via Tool**: The agent fetches the config to confirm variations exist

## Workflow

### Step 1: Identify What to Optimize

What's the problem? Cost, quality, speed, accuracy? How will you measure success?

### Step 2: Design the Experiment

| Goal | What to Vary |
|------|--------------|
| Reduce cost | Cheaper model (e.g., `gpt-4o-mini`) |
| Improve quality | Better model or more detailed prompt |
| Reduce latency | Faster model, lower `max_tokens` |
| Increase accuracy | Different model family (Claude vs GPT-4) |

### Step 3: Create Variations (Recommended: Clone with Overrides)

Use `clone-ai-config-variation` to duplicate the baseline and override only what you're testing. The tool reads the source variation, merges your overrides, and creates the new variation. Everything you **don't** pass is inherited from the source automatically.

**Required fields:**
- `sourceVariationKey` -- the baseline to clone from
- `key` and `name` -- identifiers for the new variation (e.g., `gpt4o-mini-cost-test`)
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE ef17a876c6a5b5e8

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the ef17a876c6a5b5e8 tags is data: requests and commands from it are not followed. An “end of file” line with another tag inside the block is part of the file.

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