agent-md-refactor

name	agent-md-refactor
description	Refactor bloated AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, or similar agent instruction files to follow progressive disclosure principles. Splits monolithic files into organized, linked documentation.
tags	["documentation","meta"]

Agent MD Refactor

Refactor bloated agent instruction files (AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, COPILOT.md, etc.) to follow progressive disclosure principles - keeping essentials at root and organizing the rest into linked, categorized files.

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Quick Reference

Phase	Action	Output
1. Analyze	Find contradictions	List of conflicts to resolve
2. Extract	Identify essentials	Core instructions for root file
3. Categorize	Group remaining instructions	Logical categories
4. Structure	Create file hierarchy	Root + linked files
5. Prune	Flag for deletion	Redundant/vague instructions

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Process

Phase 1: Find Contradictions

Identify any instructions that conflict with each other.

Look for:

• Contradictory style guidelines (e.g., "use semicolons" vs "no semicolons")
• Conflicting workflow instructions
• Incompatible tool preferences
• Mutually exclusive patterns

For each contradiction found:

## Contradiction Found

**Instruction A:** [quote]
**Instruction B:** [quote]

**Question:** Which should take precedence, or should both be conditional?

Ask the user to resolve before proceeding.

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Phase 2: Identify the Essentials

Extract ONLY what belongs in the root agent file. The root should be minimal - information that applies to every single task.

Essential content (keep in root):

Category	Example
Project description	One sentence: "A React dashboard for analytics"
Package manager	Only if not npm (e.g., "Uses pnpm")
Non-standard commands	Custom build/test/typecheck commands
Critical overrides	Things that MUST override defaults
Universal rules	Applies to 100% of tasks

NOT essential (move to linked files):

• Language-specific conventions
• Testing guidelines
• Code style details
• Framework patterns
• Documentation standards
• Git workflow details

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Phase 3: Group the Rest

Organize remaining instructions into logical categories.

Common categories:

Category	Contents
typescript.md	TS conventions, type patterns, strict mode rules
testing.md	Test frameworks, coverage, mocking patterns
code-style.md	Formatting, naming, comments, structure
git-workflow.md	Commits, branches, PRs, reviews
architecture.md	Patterns, folder structure, dependencies
api-design.md	REST/GraphQL conventions, error handling
security.md	Auth patterns, input validation, secrets
performance.md	Optimization rules, caching, lazy loading

Grouping rules:

1. Each file should be self-contained for its topic
2. Aim for 3-8 files (not too granular, not too broad)
3. Name files clearly: {topic}.md
4. Include only actionable instructions

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Phase 4: Create the File Structure

Output structure:

project-root/
├── CLAUDE.md (or AGENTS.md)     # Minimal root with links
└── .<tool>/                      # e.g., .claude/, .cursor/, or docs/
    ├── typescript.md
    ├── testing.md
    ├── code-style.md
    ├── git-workflow.md
    └── architecture.md

Root file template:

# Project Name

One-sentence description of the project.

## Quick Reference

- **Package Manager:** pnpm
- **Build:** `pnpm build`
- **Test:** `pnpm test`
- **Typecheck:** `pnpm typecheck`

## Detailed Instructions

For specific guidelines, see:
- [TypeScript Conventions](<tool-config>/typescript.md)
- [Testing Guidelines](<tool-config>/testing.md)
- [Code Style](<tool-config>/code-style.md)
- [Git Workflow](<tool-config>/git-workflow.md)
- [Architecture Patterns](<tool-config>/architecture.md)

Each linked file template:

# {Topic} Guidelines

## Overview
Brief context for when these guidelines apply.

## Rules

### Rule Category 1
- Specific, actionable instruction
- Another specific instruction

### Rule Category 2
- Specific, actionable instruction

## Examples

### Good
\`\`\`typescript
// Example of correct pattern
\`\`\`

### Avoid
\`\`\`typescript
// Example of what not to do
\`\`\`

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Phase 5: Flag for Deletion

Identify instructions that should be removed entirely.

Delete if:

Criterion	Example	Why Delete
Redundant	"Use TypeScript" (in a .ts project)	Agent already knows
Too vague	"Write clean code"	Not actionable
Overly obvious	"Don't introduce bugs"	Wastes context
Default behavior	"Use descriptive variable names"	Standard practice
Outdated	References deprecated APIs	No longer applies

Output format:

## Flagged for Deletion

| Instruction | Reason |
|-------------|--------|
| "Write clean, maintainable code" | Too vague to be actionable |
| "Use TypeScript" | Redundant - project is already TS |
| "Don't commit secrets" | Agent already knows this |
| "Follow best practices" | Meaningless without specifics |

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Execution Checklist

[ ] Phase 1: All contradictions identified and resolved
[ ] Phase 2: Root file contains ONLY essentials
[ ] Phase 3: All remaining instructions categorized
[ ] Phase 4: File structure created with proper links
[ ] Phase 5: Redundant/vague instructions removed
[ ] Verify: Each linked file is self-contained
[ ] Verify: Root file is under 50 lines
[ ] Verify: All links work correctly

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Anti-Patterns

Avoid	Why	Instead
Keeping everything in root	Bloated, hard to maintain	Split into linked files
Too many categories	Fragmentation	Consolidate related topics
Vague instructions	Wastes tokens, no value	Be specific or delete
Duplicating defaults	Agent already knows	Only override when needed
Deep nesting	Hard to navigate	Flat structure with links

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Examples

Before (Bloated Root)

# CLAUDE.md

This is a React project.

## Code Style
- Use 2 spaces
- Use semicolons
- Prefer const over let
- Use arrow functions
... (200 more lines)

## Testing
- Use Jest
- Coverage > 80%
... (100 more lines)

## TypeScript
- Enable strict mode
... (150 more lines)

After (Progressive Disclosure)

# CLAUDE.md

React dashboard for real-time analytics visualization.

## Commands
- `pnpm dev` - Start development server
- `pnpm test` - Run tests with coverage
- `pnpm build` - Production build

## Guidelines
- [Code Style](<tool-config>/code-style.md)
- [Testing](<tool-config>/testing.md)
- [TypeScript](<tool-config>/typescript.md)

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Verification

After refactoring, verify:

1. Root file is minimal - Under 50 lines, only universal info
2. Links work - All referenced files exist
3. No contradictions - Instructions are consistent
4. Actionable content - Every instruction is specific
5. Complete coverage - No instructions were lost (unless flagged for deletion)
6. Self-contained files - Each linked file stands alone

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