ponytail

~/ponytail README.md built.md He says nothing. He writes one line. It works. // A ruleset that makes your AI coding agent write the least code that works — like a senior dev who's been paged at 3am one too many times. Something's coming. Be the first to know.→ the_whole_idea Your agent reaches for fifty lines. The job needs one. cache.py−48 +1 - class CacheManager:- def __init__(self, ttl, maxsize):- self._store, self._lock = {}, Lock()- # ...44 more lines you maintain forever+ @lru_cache(maxsize=1000)+ def fetch(...): ... // same behavior. 48 fewer lines. zero bugs in code that no longer exists. the_ladder Stop at the first rung that holds. Does this need to exist? Speculative need = skip it. (YAGNI) Already in this codebase? Reuse the helper, util, or pattern that already lives here. Does the standard library do it? Use it. Native platform feature covers it? <input type="date"> over a picker lib. Already-installed dependency solves it? Use it. Don't add a new one. Can it be one line? One line. Only then: the minimum code that works. benchmarks Less code. Fewer tokens. Same safety. 54%less code 22%fewer tokens 20%lower cost 27%faster 100%safety kept // medians across 12 feature tasks on a FastAPI + React repo.// validation, error handling, security and accessibility are never simplified away. install Two lines for Claude Code. # Claude Code/plugin marketplace add DietrichGebert/ponytail/plugin install ponytail@ponytail codexcodex plugin marketplace add DietrichGebert/ponytail copilot clicopilot plugin install ponytail@ponytail gemini cligemini extensions install github.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail pi harnesspi install git:github.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail // also OpenCode, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, Kiro, Zed and more — 14+ agents.// full list in the README. commands Drive it from chat. /ponytail lite|full|ultra|offset intensity, or turn it off /ponytail-reviewfind over-engineering in the current diff /ponytail-auditscan the whole repo for bloat /ponytail-debtcollect deferred shortcuts into a ledger /ponytail-gainshow the benchmark scoreboard /ponytail-helpquick command reference intensity Pick how lazy. "lite"Builds what you asked, names the lazier alternative in one line. You pick. # default"full"The ladder, enforced. Stdlib and native first. Shortest diff, shortest explanation. "ultra"YAGNI extremist. Ships the one-liner and challenges the rest of the requirement in the same breath.