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principle-subtract-before-you-add

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

Published by michael-denyer ↗michael-denyer/pstack-claude

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principle-subtract-before-you-add

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Use principle-subtract-before-you-add to review [code area] and produce a subtraction-first refactor plan that identifies dead code, redundant validation, and stub references to remove before adding [feature].

Required inputs

  • [code area]
  • [feature]

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SKILL.md

name: principle-subtract-before-you-adddescription: "Apply when sequencing an addition, refactor, or rewrite. Remove dead code, redundant validators, and stub references first, then build on the simpler base."user-invocable: false

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