From 3b10fa3e402bf50d8fad2e7d403ff56055e2139d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: yifu zuo Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2026 12:32:24 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] feat(subtract-before-you-add): add subtract-before-you-add skill plugin Simplification guardrail: sequence removal before construction when evolving a system; build on the simpler base. Adapted from the pstack skills (MIT, (c) Lauren Tan, https://github.com/cursor/plugins), Cursor-specific tooling removed. --- .factory-plugin/marketplace.json | 6 ++++++ README.md | 8 ++++++++ .../.factory-plugin/plugin.json | 8 ++++++++ plugins/subtract-before-you-add/README.md | 9 +++++++++ .../skills/subtract-before-you-add/SKILL.md | 17 +++++++++++++++++ skills/subtract-before-you-add | 1 + 6 files changed, 49 insertions(+) create mode 100644 plugins/subtract-before-you-add/.factory-plugin/plugin.json create mode 100644 plugins/subtract-before-you-add/README.md create mode 100644 plugins/subtract-before-you-add/skills/subtract-before-you-add/SKILL.md create mode 120000 skills/subtract-before-you-add diff --git a/.factory-plugin/marketplace.json b/.factory-plugin/marketplace.json index 4282159..ad6c935 100644 --- a/.factory-plugin/marketplace.json +++ b/.factory-plugin/marketplace.json @@ -53,6 +53,12 @@ "description": "Pull request lifecycle skills: create PRs with consistent conventions and follow up on them until merge-ready", "source": "./plugins/code-review", "category": "productivity" + }, + { + "name": "subtract-before-you-add", + "description": "Simplification guardrail: sequence removal before construction when evolving a system", + "source": "./plugins/subtract-before-you-add", + "category": "quality" } ] } diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 9793470..242117f 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -96,6 +96,14 @@ Skills for continuous learning and improvement. Autonomous experiment loop for optimization research. Try an idea, measure it, keep what works, discard what doesn't, repeat. Works standalone or as a mission worker. +### subtract-before-you-add + +Simplification guardrail: when evolving a system, remove complexity first, then build. + +**Skills:** + +- `subtract-before-you-add` - Remove dead code, redundant validators, and stub references first, then build on the simpler base + ## Plugin Structure Each plugin follows the Factory plugin format: diff --git a/plugins/subtract-before-you-add/.factory-plugin/plugin.json b/plugins/subtract-before-you-add/.factory-plugin/plugin.json new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7032c9b --- /dev/null +++ b/plugins/subtract-before-you-add/.factory-plugin/plugin.json @@ -0,0 +1,8 @@ +{ + "name": "subtract-before-you-add", + "description": "Simplification guardrail: sequence removal before construction when evolving a system", + "author": { + "name": "yifu zuo", + "email": "yzuo.2019@gmail.com" + } +} diff --git a/plugins/subtract-before-you-add/README.md b/plugins/subtract-before-you-add/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8503c9a --- /dev/null +++ b/plugins/subtract-before-you-add/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,9 @@ +# subtract-before-you-add + +Simplification guardrail: when evolving a system, remove complexity first, then build. + +**Skills:** + +- `subtract-before-you-add` - Remove dead code, redundant validators, and stub references first, then build on the simpler base + +Adapted from the pstack skills by Lauren Tan ([cursor/plugins](https://github.com/cursor/plugins), MIT License), with Cursor-specific tooling removed and Droid conventions applied. diff --git a/plugins/subtract-before-you-add/skills/subtract-before-you-add/SKILL.md b/plugins/subtract-before-you-add/skills/subtract-before-you-add/SKILL.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..746d7ee --- /dev/null +++ b/plugins/subtract-before-you-add/skills/subtract-before-you-add/SKILL.md @@ -0,0 +1,17 @@ +--- +name: subtract-before-you-add +description: "Apply when sequencing an addition, refactor, or rewrite. Remove dead code, redundant validators, and stub references first, then build on the simpler base." +--- + +# 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 diff --git a/skills/subtract-before-you-add b/skills/subtract-before-you-add new file mode 120000 index 0000000..073367e --- /dev/null +++ b/skills/subtract-before-you-add @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +../plugins/subtract-before-you-add/skills/subtract-before-you-add \ No newline at end of file