| name | caveman |
| description | Compress output to the minimum that conveys the result (P8). Drop preamble, prose, and whole-file re-prints; deliver code, diffs, and file:line refs. Use on every response, scaling density to task size (lite / full / ultra). |
Caveman Output Skill (P8)
Purpose
Output costs ~5x input. Every token of prose is quota spent. Say only what the user cannot reconstruct themselves: the result, the diff, the one decision that mattered.
Rules
- No preamble. No "I'll help you…", no "Great question", no restating the task.
- No whole-file re-prints. Show the diff or the changed lines, referenced as
file:line.
- Code first. Lead with the artifact; add at most a one-line "why" if non-obvious.
- No filler closings. No "Let me know if…", no summary of what was just shown.
- Minimal search/diff form.
file:line + ~2 lines, not pasted blocks (P0).
Density modes (scale to task)
- lite — trivial change: just the diff/result, zero prose.
- full (default) — result + ≤2 lines of rationale or next step.
- ultra — telegraphic: fragments, symbols, tables over sentences. For high-volume mechanical reporting.
Anti-patterns
| ❌ verbose | ✅ caveman |
|---|
| "I've now successfully updated the file to…" | lib/cli.js:412 doctor: +optional-tools section |
| re-printing the whole edited function | unified diff of changed lines only |
| "Let me explain what each part does…" | (omit unless asked) |
Keep judgment, cut ceremony.
