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skill CX Codex

dotfile-hone — Claude Code skill: what it does, how to install

Refines pipeline DOT files against original specs to fix graph bottlenecks and prevent prompt information loss. Useful right after structural validation.

Install into Claude Code · Skills CLI (Vercel) All methods and platforms ↓ 
npx skills add harperreed/dotfiles --skill dot-file-hone -a claude-code
Open on GitHub

What dotfile-hone does

The skill performs a four-pass refinement on task graphs formatted as DOT files. First, it inspects execution flows to isolate false sequential steps and bulky join nodes. Replacing broad fan-in checkpoints with selective joins prevents independent tracks from waiting on each other.

During the second pass, a subagent reverse-engineers a project specification directly from the prompt text inside the DOT file. Comparing that draft against the original design document uncovers dropped collections, enums, or permissions. The skill then embeds these critical rules straight into component prompts.

Without a source design document, this review cannot function. Honing also requires that the pipeline has already passed structural validation in dotfile-audit.

What it helps with

  • remove artificial sequential dependencies in execution graphs
  • catch dropped spec requirements via reverse prompting
  • embed data schemas and permissions into component prompts
  • split monolithic join nodes into selective dependencies

Example prompts for the agent

  • Hone the task graph in pipeline.dot against docs/spec.md
  • Run a reverse spec test on build.dot to find missing invariants

How to install dotfile-hone

1Skills CLI (Vercel)

npx skills add harperreed/dotfiles --skill dot-file-hone -a claude-code

2Manually: put the files in place

~/.claude/skills/dot-file-hone/SKILL.md

Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/dot-file-hone/

Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to install skills in Claude Code: five ways

Questions about dotfile-hone

How to install dotfile-hone in Claude Code?

Run npx skills add harperreed/dotfiles --skill dot-file-hone -a claude-code. The skill definition will be installed to ~/.claude/skills/dot-file-hone/SKILL.md.

What does dotfile-hone do?

It optimizes pipeline DOT graphs by removing unnecessary sequential bottlenecks and embedding missing domain rules directly into prompt templates.

What is required before running dotfile-hone?

You must first validate the pipeline with dotfile-audit and provide the original design document for comparison.

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