rtk

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Install, initialize, verify, and troubleshoot RTK (Rust Token Killer) for AI coding agents. Use when you need to reduce shell-command token output, confirm that the correct `rtk` binary is installed, choose between Homebrew, install.sh, or Cargo installation, wire `rtk init` for Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, Cursor, Copilot, Windsurf, Cline, or OpenCode, or use compact wrappers such as `rtk git status`, `rtk read`, `rtk grep`, `rtk test`, `rtk lint`, and `rtk gain`. Triggers on: rtk, rust token killer, token saver cli, rtk init, rtk gain, codex rtk, gemini rtk, opencode rtk, claude hook token reduction.

6installs

Sourceakillness/oh-my-skills

Added on2026-04-22

NPX Install

npx skill4agent add akillness/oh-my-skills rtk

SKILL.md Content

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rtk - Rust Token Killer for AI Coding Agents

Keyword:
rtk
·
rust token killer
·
rtk init
·
rtk gain
The target repository is the
akillness/rtk
fork of
rtk-ai/rtk
. The fork tracks upstream code, while the bundled
install.sh
still downloads release artifacts from
rtk-ai/rtk
.

RTK is a high-performance CLI proxy that rewrites common shell commands into token-optimized equivalents before their output reaches an AI agent. Use this skill to verify the right RTK binary, install or repair it, choose the correct

rtk init

mode for the user's agent, and fall back to direct

rtk

commands when no automatic hook exists.

When to use this skill

Verify whether RTK is already installed and whether it is the correct project
Repair the common
```
cargo install rtk
```
name-collision mistake
Install RTK with Homebrew, the repository
```
install.sh
```
, or Cargo
Initialize RTK for Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, Cursor, Copilot, Windsurf, Cline, or OpenCode
Explain when
```
rtk init -g
```
is better than local project setup

Use direct

rtk

wrappers such as

rtk git status

,

rtk read

,

rtk grep

,

rtk test

, or

rtk lint

Diagnose why automatic rewriting is not happening
Explain why built-in file tools do not pass through shell hooks and when to use direct
```
rtk
```
commands instead

Instructions

Step 1: Verify the current installation before reinstalling anything

Run the local status helper first:

bash

bash scripts/check-status.sh --show

Interpret the result in this order:

If
```
rtk gain
```
works, the correct RTK is already installed. Do not reinstall unless the user wants an upgrade.
If
```
rtk --version
```
works but
```
rtk gain
```
fails, the user likely has the wrong
```
rtk
```
package, usually Rust Type Kit.
If
```
rtk
```
is missing entirely, move to installation.

The install and verification decision tree lives in references/install-and-verify.md.

Step 2: Install or repair RTK with the narrowest method that fits

Use the wrapper:

bash

bash scripts/install.sh

Important installer choices:

Default
```
auto
```
prefers Homebrew on macOS when available, then the fork's
```
install.sh
```
, then Cargo
Use
```
--method brew
```
when Homebrew is available and the user wants a standard system-managed install
Use
```
--method script
```
for the repository install script path
Use
```
--method cargo
```
when the user explicitly wants a git-source build or is working from the fork
Use
```
--force-uninstall-wrong
```
when the user already installed the wrong
```
rtk
```

Examples:

bash

bash scripts/install.sh --method brew
bash scripts/install.sh --method script
bash scripts/install.sh --method cargo --repo akillness/rtk
bash scripts/install.sh --force-uninstall-wrong

Keep these installation rules explicit:

Always verify with
```
rtk gain
```
after installation
Treat
```
cargo install rtk
```
as unsafe unless the user already confirmed the correct package
If the install script path is used, remember the script still pulls release artifacts from
```
rtk-ai/rtk
```

Step 3: Choose the correct

rtk init

mode for the agent

Use the init wrapper instead of hand-building flags:

bash

bash scripts/init-agent.sh --agent claude --global

Default mapping:

Claude Code:
```
--agent claude --global
```
for hook-first setup

Codex:

--agent codex --global

or local

--agent codex --local

Gemini CLI:
```
--agent gemini --global
```
Cursor:
```
--agent cursor --global
```
Copilot:
```
--agent copilot --global
```
OpenCode:
```
--agent opencode --global
```
Windsurf:
```
--agent windsurf --local
```
Cline / Roo Code:
```
--agent cline --local
```

Good follow-up checks:

bash

bash scripts/init-agent.sh --agent claude --global --auto-patch
bash scripts/init-agent.sh --agent codex --global
bash scripts/init-agent.sh --agent opencode --global
bash scripts/init-agent.sh --agent claude --show

Read references/platform-init.md when the user needs the per-agent hook type, scope, or uninstall behavior.

Step 4: Use direct RTK commands when hooks are absent or insufficient

Automatic rewrite only applies where the agent actually executes shell commands through a supported hook or plugin. Prompt-only integrations such as Codex, Windsurf, and Cline still benefit from explicit

rtk

commands, but they do not transparently mutate built-in file tools.

Use direct commands when:

The agent uses a built-in
```
Read
```
,
```
Grep
```
, or
```
Glob
```
tool instead of shell
The workflow is in Codex and the user wants compact output immediately
The user wants deterministic verification independent of hook state

Common commands:

bash

rtk git status
rtk read src/main.rs
rtk grep "pattern" .
rtk test cargo test
rtk lint
rtk gain

The command families and config knobs are summarized in references/commands-and-config.md.

Step 5: Diagnose failures explicitly

Use

bash scripts/check-status.sh --show

as the first diagnostic pass, then branch:

Wrong binary installed: fix the name collision and reinstall
Hook missing or stale: rerun the correct
```
rtk init
```
mode
Agent still verbose: confirm whether the task used shell commands or built-in tools
PATH issue: ensure
```
~/.local/bin
```
or
```
~/.cargo/bin
```
is on
```
PATH
```
Windows wrapper failure: recommend RTK
```
0.23.1+
```

The troubleshooting matrix is in references/troubleshooting.md.

Examples

Example 1: Verify whether the correct RTK is already installed

bash

bash scripts/check-status.sh --show

Example 2: Install from the fork-aware script path

bash

bash scripts/install.sh --method script --repo akillness/rtk

Example 3: Repair the wrong

cargo install rtk

package

bash

bash scripts/install.sh --force-uninstall-wrong --method cargo

Example 4: Claude Code global hook setup

bash

bash scripts/init-agent.sh --agent claude --global --auto-patch

Example 5: Codex global prompt setup

bash

bash scripts/init-agent.sh --agent codex --global

Example 6: OpenCode plugin install

bash

bash scripts/init-agent.sh --agent opencode --global

Example 7: Use RTK directly for compact output

bash

rtk read Cargo.toml
rtk grep "rtk init" README.md
rtk test cargo test

Example 8: Temporarily bypass rewrite for one command

bash

RTK_DISABLED=1 git status

Best practices

Check
```
rtk gain
```
before reinstalling; it is the quickest way to distinguish the correct RTK from the wrong package.
Use the lightest install path that meets the user's needs: Homebrew for convenience, install script for release binaries, Cargo for source-driven workflows.
Treat
```
rtk init -g
```
as the normal path for hook-capable agents and local rules files as the normal path for Windsurf and Cline.
Use
```
rtk init --show
```
after setup or upgrades so stale hook state is visible immediately.
Remember that built-in read/search tools do not pass through shell hooks; switch to shell commands or direct
```
rtk
```
wrappers when token savings matter.
Keep
```
RTK_DISABLED=1
```
in mind for one-off passthrough commands instead of uninstalling hooks.
Re-run the installer plus
```
rtk init
```
after RTK upgrades because hook artifacts can change between releases.
When users say "RTK is broken", separate installation correctness, hook registration, and actual command path before proposing a fix.

References

references/install-and-verify.md
references/platform-init.md
references/commands-and-config.md
references/troubleshooting.md
scripts/install.sh
scripts/init-agent.sh
scripts/check-status.sh
RTK Repository Fork
Upstream RTK Project

rtk

NPX Install

Tags

SKILL.md Content

rtk - Rust Token Killer for AI Coding Agents

When to use this skill

Instructions

Step 1: Verify the current installation before reinstalling anything

Step 2: Install or repair RTK with the narrowest method that fits

Step 3: Choose the correct
`rtk init`
mode for the agent

Step 4: Use direct RTK commands when hooks are absent or insufficient

Step 5: Diagnose failures explicitly

Examples

Example 1: Verify whether the correct RTK is already installed

Example 2: Install from the fork-aware script path

Example 3: Repair the wrong
`cargo install rtk`
package

Example 4: Claude Code global hook setup

Example 5: Codex global prompt setup

Example 6: OpenCode plugin install

Example 7: Use RTK directly for compact output

Example 8: Temporarily bypass rewrite for one command

Best practices

References