| name | first-principles |
| description | Break down a problem to its fundamental constraints and build up a solution. Use when decomposing complexity, challenging assumptions, or finding root causes. |
| argument-hint | <problem> |
Break down $ARGUMENTS to fundamentals:
- State the problem clearly in one sentence
- Identify assumptions — what are we taking for granted?
- Classify constraints:
- Hard (physics, math, API limits, laws)
- Soft (conventions, habits, "how it's always been done")
- Assumptions (things believed true but unverified)
- Remove soft constraints — what's possible without them?
- Build up — from hard constraints only, what's the simplest solution?
- Compare — how does the first-principles solution differ from the conventional one?
- Recommend — which approach to take and why