karpathy-guidelines

Applies behavioral coding guidelines to reduce overcomplication and enforce surgical, verifiable code changes.

Updated Mar 3, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/manhthien2005/PM_REVIEW --skill karpathy-guidelines-manhthien2005
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: karpathy-guidelines
Source: https://github.com/manhthien2005/PM_REVIEW/tree/main/tooling/.windsurf-template/shared/skills/karpathy-guidelines
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/manhthien2005/PM_REVIEW --skill karpathy-guidelines-manhthien2005

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? LLM-generated code often suffers from overcomplication, unrequested features, silent assumptions, and sweeping edits that touch unrelated code. This Skill provides behavioral guidelines that keep AI-assisted coding focused, minimal, and verifiable across the VSmartwatch project. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Think Before Coding: Forces explicit statement of assumptions, presents multiple interpretations instead of silently picking one, and stops to ask when requirements are unclear. - Simplicity First & Surgical Changes: Blocks speculative abstractions and unrequested features, and restricts edits to only what the task requires while matching existing codebase style. - Goal-Driven Execution: Transforms vague tasks into verifiable success criteria (e.g., "write tests for invalid inputs, then make them pass") with step-by-step verification plans. - Use Case: When asked to add validation to a login endpoint in a FastAPI or Express backend, the AI defines testable criteria (reject empty email, invalid format, short password), avoids adding unrequested rate limiting, and matches existing code conventions. ## Quick Start Apply the karpathy guidelines while refactoring this Flutter screen and state your assumptions before making any changes.

Frequently Asked Questions about karpathy-guidelines

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I reduce overcomplication in AI-generated code?▼

Apply simplicity-first rules: write the minimum code that solves the problem, avoid abstractions for single-use code, and skip unrequested configurability or error handling. If a 200-line solution could be 50 lines, rewrite it.

How to make AI coding assistants avoid touching unrelated code?▼

Use surgical change guidelines: edit only what the task requires, match existing code style, and never reformat or refactor adjacent code. Every changed line should trace directly to the user's request.

What are verifiable success criteria for coding tasks?▼

Verifiable success criteria transform vague tasks into testable goals, such as writing tests that reproduce a bug before fixing it. For multi-step work, define a plan where each step has an explicit verification check.

Does this guideline approach work with Flutter and FastAPI projects?▼

Yes, the guidelines include project-specific applications for Dart/Flutter screens, FastAPI routers, and Express controllers. They instruct the AI to match each codebase's conventions and consult architecture overlays before assuming patterns.

When should simplicity-first guidelines not be applied strictly?▼

For trivial tasks, use judgment rather than rigidly applying every rule, since the guidelines bias toward caution over speed. The tradeoff of extra deliberation is only worthwhile for non-trivial code changes.