principle-subtract-before-you-add

Original：🇺🇸 English

Translated

Apply when sequencing an addition, refactor, or rewrite. Remove dead code, redundant validators, and stub references first, then build on the simpler base.

3installs

Sourceberemaran/pstack

Added on2026-10-19

NPX Install

npx skill4agent add beremaran/pstack principle-subtract-before-you-add

SKILL.md Content

View Translation Comparison →

Read pstack runtime before executing this workflow.

Subtract Before You Add

When evolving a system, remove complexity first, then build. Default to subtraction.

Make simplification a continual investment. Leave the design slightly simpler and more capable behind the same or smaller surface than you found it.

Sequence removal before construction
Cut before you polish (get to the minimum before investing in quality)
Design for observed usage, not speculative edge cases
No speculative validators, parsers, or guards beyond what the spec demands
Simplify prompts (remove redundant instructions, excessive templates)
When a reference has no novel content, delete it rather than leaving a stub

principle-subtract-before-you-add

NPX Install

Tags

SKILL.md Content

Subtract Before You Add