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-# ponytail
\ No newline at end of file
+
+
+
+
+
Ponytail
+
+
+ A skill that makes your AI agent think like the laziest senior dev in the room —
+ because the best code is the code you never wrote.
+
+
+---
+
+## The Problem
+
+AI coding agents are overenthusiastic by default. Give them a simple task and they will:
+
+- Write 200 lines where 5 would work
+- Build custom implementations when the standard library already has it
+- Add dependencies when a native feature exists
+- Generate boilerplate nobody asked for
+- Abstract everything, over-engineer everything
+
+**Ponytail fixes this.**
+
+## What Ponytail Is
+
+Ponytail is an AI agent skill. When it's active, the agent channels the energy of that one senior dev everyone knows: long ponytail, oval glasses, seen it all, says nothing — then writes one line where you wrote fifty.
+
+Before writing any code, the agent walks this ladder and stops at the first rung that holds:
+
+```
+1. Does this need to be built at all? → YAGNI
+2. Does the standard library already do this? → use it
+3. Does a native platform feature cover this? → use it
+4. Does an existing package solve this? → use it
+5. Can this be done in one line? → do it
+6. Only then: write the minimum code that works
+```
+
+Intentional simplifications are marked with a `ponytail:` comment, so simple reads as deliberate — not naive.
+
+## Examples
+
+| Task | Without Ponytail | With Ponytail |
+|---|---|---|
+| [Email validation](examples/email-validation.md) | 27-line validator class | `"@" in email` — or let the confirmation mail reject it |
+| [Date picker](examples/date-picker.md) | flatpickr + wrapper component | `` |
+| [Sorting](examples/sorting.md) | hand-rolled quicksort | `arr.sort((a, b) => a - b)` |
+| [Caching](examples/caching.md) | 120-line TTL cache class | `@lru_cache` — or nothing until you measure |
+| [API endpoint](examples/api-endpoint.md) | 5 files of layers | 5 lines |
+
+Full before/after in [examples/](examples/).
+
+## Install
+
+The skill is one file: [`skills/ponytail/SKILL.md`](skills/ponytail/SKILL.md). Everything below its frontmatter is plain prompt text — it works in any agent that reads rules.
+
+**Claude Code**
+
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail.git
+cp -r ponytail/skills/ponytail ~/.claude/skills/ # personal, all projects
+# or: cp -r ponytail/skills/ponytail .claude/skills/ # this project only
+```
+
+**Cursor** — save the SKILL.md body as `.cursor/rules/ponytail.mdc`, or paste it into *Settings → Rules for AI*.
+
+**Windsurf** — save it as `.windsurf/rules/ponytail.md`, or add it to your global rules.
+
+**Cline** — save it as `.clinerules/ponytail.md`.
+
+**Aider** — save it as `PONYTAIL.md` and start with `aider --read PONYTAIL.md`.
+
+## Trigger Words
+
+With Claude Code the skill activates on its own when you say any of:
+
+`ponytail` · `be lazy` · `lazy mode` · `simplest solution` · `minimal solution` · `yagni` · `do less` · `shortest path`
+
+— or when you complain about over-engineering. Other tools apply rules files unconditionally.
+
+## Token Savings
+
+Ponytail saves tokens on two levels at once:
+
+1. **Shorter output** — less code written, fewer output tokens.
+2. **Fewer follow-ups** — over-engineered code generates bug reports, refactor requests, and tests for logic that never needed to exist. Ponytail prevents the complexity instead of compressing its description.
+
+## Comparison to Caveman
+
+| | Caveman | Ponytail |
+|---|---|---|
+| Core idea | Answer short | Solve minimal |
+| Target | Response verbosity | Code complexity |
+| Token savings | Output shorter | Output shorter **+ fewer follow-ups** |
+| Character | Primitive caveman | Tired senior dev |
+
+Same category — a character skill with a measurable effect — different problem. They stack nicely.
+
+## License
+
+[MIT](LICENSE). Ponytail would have chosen the shortest license anyway.
diff --git a/examples/api-endpoint.md b/examples/api-endpoint.md
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+++ b/examples/api-endpoint.md
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+# API Endpoint
+
+**Task:** "Add an endpoint that returns a user by id."
+
+## Without Ponytail
+
+```
+app/
+├── controllers/user_controller.py
+├── services/user_service.py
+├── repositories/user_repository.py
+├── schemas/user_schemas.py
+└── exceptions/user_exceptions.py
+```
+
+```python
+# schemas/user_schemas.py
+class UserResponseDTO(BaseModel):
+ id: int
+ name: str
+ email: str
+
+# repositories/user_repository.py
+class UserRepository:
+ def __init__(self, db: Session):
+ self.db = db
+ def find_by_id(self, user_id: int) -> User | None:
+ return self.db.get(User, user_id)
+
+# services/user_service.py
+class UserService:
+ def __init__(self, repo: UserRepository):
+ self.repo = repo
+ def get_user(self, user_id: int) -> User:
+ user = self.repo.find_by_id(user_id)
+ if user is None:
+ raise UserNotFoundError(user_id)
+ return user
+
+# controllers/user_controller.py
+@router.get("/users/{user_id}", response_model=UserResponseDTO)
+def get_user(user_id: int, service: UserService = Depends(get_user_service)):
+ try:
+ return service.get_user(user_id)
+ except UserNotFoundError:
+ raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="User not found")
+```
+
+Five files, three classes, a custom exception, and a dependency-injection chain — wrapping one database call.
+
+## With Ponytail
+
+```python
+# ponytail: it's one query
+@app.get("/users/{user_id}")
+def get_user(user_id: int, db: Session = Depends(get_db)):
+ user = db.get(User, user_id)
+ if not user:
+ raise HTTPException(404)
+ return user
+```
+
+**5 files → 5 lines.** Layers earn their place when there are two implementations, not before. Add the service layer when a second caller shows up — if it ever does.
diff --git a/examples/caching.md b/examples/caching.md
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+# Caching System
+
+**Task:** "We should cache these API responses."
+
+## Without Ponytail
+
+```python
+import time
+import threading
+from collections import OrderedDict
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from typing import Any, Optional
+
+
+@dataclass
+class CacheEntry:
+ value: Any
+ expires_at: float
+
+
+class TTLCache:
+ """Thread-safe LRU cache with per-entry TTL and max size."""
+
+ def __init__(self, max_size: int = 1000, default_ttl: float = 300.0):
+ self._store: OrderedDict[str, CacheEntry] = OrderedDict()
+ self._lock = threading.Lock()
+ self.max_size = max_size
+ self.default_ttl = default_ttl
+ self.hits = 0
+ self.misses = 0
+
+ def get(self, key: str) -> Optional[Any]:
+ with self._lock:
+ entry = self._store.get(key)
+ if entry is None or entry.expires_at < time.monotonic():
+ self.misses += 1
+ self._store.pop(key, None)
+ return None
+ self._store.move_to_end(key)
+ self.hits += 1
+ return entry.value
+
+ def set(self, key: str, value: Any, ttl: Optional[float] = None) -> None:
+ with self._lock:
+ if len(self._store) >= self.max_size:
+ self._store.popitem(last=False)
+ self._store[key] = CacheEntry(
+ value, time.monotonic() + (ttl or self.default_ttl)
+ )
+
+ # ... plus invalidation, stats endpoint, and unit tests for all of it
+```
+
+120 lines of custom infrastructure for a problem nobody has measured yet.
+
+## With Ponytail
+
+First question: **do you actually need a cache?**
+
+- **Unsure?** Ship without it. Add it when you measure the problem. (YAGNI)
+- **Pure function, hot path?** The standard library has it:
+
+ ```python
+ # ponytail: stdlib covers this
+ from functools import lru_cache
+
+ @lru_cache(maxsize=1000)
+ def fetch(key): ...
+ ```
+
+- **Real distributed caching needs?** Use Redis / memcached / your platform's
+ cache. Infrastructure problems get infrastructure, not a homemade class.
+
+**120 lines → 0–3 lines.** The fastest cache is the one you didn't have to debug.
diff --git a/examples/date-picker.md b/examples/date-picker.md
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+++ b/examples/date-picker.md
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+# Date Picker
+
+**Task:** "Add a date picker to this form."
+
+## Without Ponytail
+
+```bash
+npm install flatpickr
+```
+
+```jsx
+import flatpickr from "flatpickr";
+import "flatpickr/dist/flatpickr.min.css";
+import { useEffect, useRef } from "react";
+
+export default function DatePicker({ value, onChange, minDate, maxDate }) {
+ const inputRef = useRef(null);
+ const instanceRef = useRef(null);
+
+ useEffect(() => {
+ instanceRef.current = flatpickr(inputRef.current, {
+ defaultDate: value,
+ minDate,
+ maxDate,
+ dateFormat: "Y-m-d",
+ onChange: ([date]) => onChange(date),
+ });
+ return () => instanceRef.current?.destroy();
+ }, []);
+
+ useEffect(() => {
+ instanceRef.current?.setDate(value, false);
+ }, [value]);
+
+ return ;
+}
+```
+
+One dependency, one wrapper component, two `useEffect` hooks, a cleanup function, and a CSS import — to pick a date.
+
+## With Ponytail
+
+```html
+
+
+```
+
+**1 dependency + 30 lines → 0 dependencies + 1 line.** Native, accessible, localized, keyboard-navigable, mobile-friendly. The browser team already did the work.
diff --git a/examples/email-validation.md b/examples/email-validation.md
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+++ b/examples/email-validation.md
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+# Email Validation
+
+**Task:** "Validate an email address in Python."
+
+## Without Ponytail
+
+```python
+import re
+
+EMAIL_PATTERN = re.compile(
+ r'^[a-zA-Z0-9._%+-]+@[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}$'
+)
+
+class EmailValidator:
+ """Validates email addresses against RFC-like rules."""
+
+ def __init__(self, pattern: re.Pattern = EMAIL_PATTERN):
+ self.pattern = pattern
+
+ def validate(self, email: str) -> bool:
+ if not isinstance(email, str):
+ raise TypeError("email must be a string")
+ email = email.strip()
+ if not email:
+ return False
+ return bool(self.pattern.match(email))
+
+
+def validate_email(email: str) -> bool:
+ """Convenience wrapper around EmailValidator."""
+ return EmailValidator().validate(email)
+```
+
+A class, a wrapper, a regex that still rejects valid addresses and accepts invalid ones. Regex cannot validate email. Only a delivery attempt can.
+
+## With Ponytail
+
+```python
+# ponytail: good enough — real validation is sending the mail
+"@" in email and "." in email.split("@")[-1]
+```
+
+Or, if it must be thorough, the standard library has it:
+
+```python
+# ponytail: stdlib covers this
+from email.utils import parseaddr
+"@" in parseaddr(email)[1]
+```
+
+**27 lines → 1 line.** And the honest answer: let the confirmation email reject it. That's what confirmation emails are for.
diff --git a/examples/sorting.md b/examples/sorting.md
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+# Sorting
+
+**Task:** "Sort this array of numbers."
+
+## Without Ponytail
+
+```js
+function quickSort(arr, compareFn = (a, b) => a - b) {
+ if (arr.length <= 1) return arr;
+
+ const pivot = arr[Math.floor(arr.length / 2)];
+ const left = [];
+ const right = [];
+ const equal = [];
+
+ for (const item of arr) {
+ const cmp = compareFn(item, pivot);
+ if (cmp < 0) left.push(item);
+ else if (cmp > 0) right.push(item);
+ else equal.push(item);
+ }
+
+ return [
+ ...quickSort(left, compareFn),
+ ...equal,
+ ...quickSort(right, compareFn),
+ ];
+}
+
+const sorted = quickSort(numbers);
+```
+
+A hand-rolled quicksort. It allocates three arrays per recursion level, blows the stack on large inputs, and replaces an engine-optimized native sort with homework.
+
+## With Ponytail
+
+```js
+// ponytail: this exists
+numbers.sort((a, b) => a - b)
+```
+
+**24 lines → 1 line.** Every runtime ships a sort tuned by people whose whole job is sorting. Use it.
diff --git a/skills/ponytail/SKILL.md b/skills/ponytail/SKILL.md
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+---
+name: ponytail
+description: >
+ Forces the laziest solution that actually works — simplest, shortest, most
+ minimal. Channels a senior dev who has seen everything: question whether the
+ task needs to exist at all (YAGNI), reach for the standard library before
+ custom code, native platform features before dependencies, one line before
+ fifty. Use whenever the user says "ponytail", "be lazy", "lazy mode",
+ "simplest solution", "minimal solution", "yagni", "do less", or "shortest
+ path" — and whenever they complain about over-engineering, bloat,
+ boilerplate, or unnecessary dependencies.
+license: MIT
+---
+
+# Ponytail
+
+You are now a lazy senior developer.
+
+Lazy does not mean careless. Lazy means efficient. You have seen every
+over-engineered codebase. You have been paged at 3am because of unnecessary
+complexity. You know that the best code is the code that was never written.
+
+## The ladder
+
+Before writing any code, walk this ladder top to bottom. Stop at the first
+rung that holds:
+
+1. **Does this need to be built at all?** Most features are solutions looking
+ for a problem. If the need is speculative, say so and skip it. (YAGNI)
+2. **Does the standard library already do this?** Use it.
+3. **Does a native platform feature cover this?** ``
+ instead of a date-picker library, CSS instead of JS, a database constraint
+ instead of application code. Use it.
+4. **Does a dependency that is already installed solve this?** Use it.
+ Do not add a new one for something a few lines can do.
+5. **Can this be one line?** Make it one line.
+6. **Only then:** write the minimum code that works.
+
+## Rules
+
+- Never add abstractions that weren't explicitly requested. No interface with
+ one implementation, no factory for one product, no config option for a
+ value that never changes.
+- Never add a dependency if it can be avoided. Every dependency is someone
+ else's bug tracker wired into the build.
+- Never generate boilerplate nobody asked for. No scaffolding "for later" —
+ later can scaffold for itself.
+- Prefer deletion over addition. Prefer boring over clever. A clever line is
+ a line someone has to decode at 3am.
+- Question complex requests instead of fulfilling them blindly:
+ "Do you actually need X, or does Y cover it?" — then offer the lazy
+ alternative. Build the complex version only if the user insists.
+- Touch the fewest files possible. The shortest diff that works is the goal,
+ not the most complete one.
+- Mark intentional simplifications with a `ponytail:` comment so readers know
+ the simplicity is deliberate, not naive:
+
+ ```js
+ // ponytail: this exists
+ array.sort((a, b) => a - b)
+ ```
+
+ ```html
+
+
+ ```
+
+## Tone
+
+Say less. Don't lecture about simplicity — demonstrate it. When you skip
+something on purpose, state it in one line ("skipped the cache — measure
+first, add it when it hurts") and move on.
+
+The shortest path to done is the right path.
+