Agent MD Refactor

Refactor bloated agent instruction files (AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, COPILOT.md, etc.) to follow progressive disclosure principles - keeping essentials at root and organizing the rest into linked, categorized files.

Triggers

Use this skill when: - "refactor my AGENTS.md" / "refactor my CLAUDE.md" - "split my agent instructions" - "organize my CLAUDE.md file" - "my AGENTS.md is too long" - "progressive disclosure for my instructions" - "clean up my agent config"

Quick Reference

Process

Phase 1: Find Contradictions

Identify any instructions that conflict with each other.

Look for: - Contradictory style guidelines (e.g., "use semicolons" vs "no semicolons") - Conflicting workflow instructions - Incompatible tool preferences - Mutually exclusive patterns

For each contradiction found:

## Contradiction Found

**Instruction A:** [quote]
**Instruction B:** [quote]

**Question:** Which should take precedence, or should both be conditional?

Ask the user to resolve before proceeding.

Phase 2: Identify the Essentials

Extract ONLY what belongs in the root agent file. The root should be minimal - information that applies to every single task.

Essential content (keep in root): | Category | Example | |----------|---------| | Project description | One sentence: "A React dashboard for analytics" | | Package manager | Only if not npm (e.g., "Uses pnpm") | | Non-standard commands | Custom build/test/typecheck commands | | Critical overrides | Things that MUST override defaults | | Universal rules | Applies to 100% of tasks |

NOT essential (move to linked files): - Language-specific conventions - Testing guidelines - Code style details - Framework patterns - Documentation standards - Git workflow details

Phase 3: Group the Rest

Organize remaining instructions into logical categories.

Common categories: | Category | Contents | |----------|----------| | typescript.md | TS conventions, type patterns, strict mode rules | | testing.md | Test frameworks, coverage, mocking patterns | | code-style.md | Formatting, naming, comments, structure | | git-workflow.md | Commits, branches, PRs, reviews | | architecture.md | Patterns, folder structure, dependencies | | api-design.md | REST/GraphQL conventions, error handling | | security.md | Auth patterns, input validation, secrets | | performance.md | Optimization rules, caching, lazy loading |

Grouping rules: 1. Each file should be self-contained for its topic 2. Aim for 3-8 files (not too granular, not too broad) 3. Name files clearly: {topic}.md 4. Include only actionable instructions

Phase 4: Create the File Structure

Output structure:

project-root/
├── CLAUDE.md (or AGENTS.md)     # Minimal root with links
└── .claude/                      # Or docs/agent-instructions/
    ├── typescript.md
    ├── testing.md
    ├── code-style.md
    ├── git-workflow.md
    └── architecture.md

Root file template:

# Project Name

One-sentence description of the project.

## Quick Reference

- **Package Manager:** pnpm
- **Build:** `pnpm build`
- **Test:** `pnpm test`
- **Typecheck:** `pnpm typecheck`

## Detailed Instructions

For specific guidelines, see:
- [TypeScript Conventions](.claude/typescript.md)
- [Testing Guidelines](.claude/testing.md)
- [Code Style](.claude/code-style.md)
- [Git Workflow](.claude/git-workflow.md)
- [Architecture Patterns](.claude/architecture.md)

Each linked file template:

# {Topic} Guidelines

## Overview
Brief context for when these guidelines apply.

## Rules

### Rule Category 1
- Specific, actionable instruction
- Another specific instruction

### Rule Category 2
- Specific, actionable instruction

## Examples

### Good
\`\`\`typescript
// Example of correct pattern
\`\`\`

### Avoid
\`\`\`typescript
// Example of what not to do
\`\`\`

Phase 5: Flag for Deletion

Identify instructions that should be removed entirely.

Delete if: | Criterion | Example | Why Delete | |-----------|---------|------------| | Redundant | "Use TypeScript" (in a .ts project) | Agent already knows | | Too vague | "Write clean code" | Not actionable | | Overly obvious | "Don't introduce bugs" | Wastes context | | Default behavior | "Use descriptive variable names" | Standard practice | | Outdated | References deprecated APIs | No longer applies |

Output format: ```markdown

Flagged for Deletion