# simplify-skill

Simplifies complex agent skills without losing existing behavior or contracts. Cuts accidental instruction clutter while preserving all tests and outputs.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 540 installs · ★ 2
- Author: Kiren Srinivasan
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/srinitude/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/simplify-skill/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-21
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/simplify-skill

## What it does

This skill removes accidental complexity from agent packages without altering how they function. It is not meant for ordinary code cleanup. The only accepted outcome is reducing declared operational costs for a specific actor and task. Cutting line count never counts as proof of simplification.

The process follows a strict state machine: `DISCOVER`, `BASELINE`, `CONTRACT`, `SELECT`, `REWRITE`, `VERIFY`, and `ACCEPT`. Every command, path, schema, permission gate, and numeric limit remains untouched. Each observable rule gets a persistent identifier, and ledger coverage must equal 1.0. Any unauthorized loss routes the candidate straight to `NEEDS_APPROVAL`.

Tooling relies directly on the `mise` runner. The workflow checks files with `mise run validate` and blocks changes if dependencies fail. Final acceptance requires running `mise run ci` and passing ten native pressure cases. Without this test harness, the verification pipeline halts.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add srinitude/skills --skill simplify-skill -a claude-code
```

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

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add srinitude/skills --skill simplify-skill -a codex
```

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

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add srinitude/skills --skill simplify-skill -a cursor
```

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

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install srinitude/skills simplify-skill
```

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

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add srinitude/skills --skill simplify-skill -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/srinitude/skills --path skills/simplify-skill
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

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

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add srinitude/skills --skill simplify-skill -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/srinitude/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/simplify-skill/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- Refactor bloated agent skills without regressing expected behavior
- Extract isolated logic into child skills with clean interfaces
- Freeze rule contracts and schemas before modifying prompt instructions
- Verify prompt simplifications against automated ledgers and test suites

## Example prompts
- Simplify the skill in `skills/deploy` while keeping all paths, permissions, and output schemas.
- Run a complexity audit on `skills/review` using the simplify-skill pipeline.
- Extract a child skill from `skills/analyzer` if it meets the standalone trigger and test rules.

## 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: fd0d14283e036c94.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE fd0d14283e036c94
```text
---
name: simplify-skill
description: 'Use when simplifying a skill without losing behavior.'
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: Kiren Srinivasan
  version: '0.1.1'
  scope: 'user'
---

# Simplify a skill

## When to use

Use this skill when an existing skill is harder to understand, operate, verify, or maintain than its domain requires. Do not use it for an ordinary code-only cleanup.

## Outcome

Reduce at least one declared complexity cost for a named actor and task. Preserve purpose, authority, behavior, safety, dependencies, outputs, and proof unless the user approves an exact loss.

Never accept line count alone as evidence of simplification.

## Hard boundaries

- Treat the complete current package as the baseline source of truth.
- Preserve essential domain complexity. Remove accidental complexity first.
- Default to lossless change.
- Keep exact commands, paths, schemas, hashes, quotes, permission gates, numeric limits, and stop rules exact.
- Keep component status separate from whole-skill status.
- Do not claim identical prose from every model or provider.
- Define determinism as a closed decision contract plus machine-checked end state.

## Required composition

Resource gate: run `mise run validate` before using package files named here.

Read the [dependency reconciliation](references/dependency-reconciliation.md) before changing a package. Use the collection's starting-point, human-behavior, agent-behavior, and meaning-preservation owners when their triggers apply.

A native host-only load is evidence, not a portable dependency. Internalize its invariant or route to an installed public peer. If neither is possible, return `BLOCKED_DEPENDENCY`.

## Input contract

Record `target`, `actor`, `task`, `environment`, `scope`, `invariants`, `measure`, and `allowed_loss`. Use `unknown` for missing data. `allowed_loss` is `none` unless the user approves an exact bound.

## State machine

Use only this order:

`DISCOVER -> BASELINE -> CONTRACT -> SELECT -> REWRITE -> VERIFY -> ACCEPT`

A gate failure moves to `BLOCKED`. Unapproved loss moves to `NEEDS_APPROVAL`. No accepted cost reduction moves to `NO_CHANGE`.

Resolve ties by authority, safety and privacy, behavior preservation, the user's exact method, lower declared cost, then `NO_CHANGE`.

## Procedure

1. **Discover.** Read the live target, every linked file, nearby owners, origin record, checks, and governing source. Stop on unexplained drift.
2. **Freeze.** Back up and hash every file. Run existing checks and representative tasks.
3. **Contract.** Give each rule and observable behavior a stable ID. Record authority, strength, conditions, protected spans, target, and evidence. Coverage must equal `1.0`.
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE fd0d14283e036c94

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