agent-md-refactor

SKILL.md

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

Phase
Action
Output

1. Analyze
Find contradictions
List of conflicts to resolve

2. Extract
Identify essentials
Core instructions for root file

3. Categorize
Group remaining instructions
Logical categories

4. Structure
Create file hierarchy
Root + linked files

5. Prune
Flag for deletion
Redundant/vague instructions

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:

Each file should be self-contained for its topic

Aim for 3-8 files (not too granular, not too broad)

Name files clearly: {topic}.md

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:

## Flagged for Deletion

| Instruction | Reason |
|-------------|--------|
| "Write clean, maintainable code" | Too vague to be actionable |
| "Use TypeScript" | Redundant - project is already TS |
| "Don't commit secrets" | Agent already knows this |
| "Follow best practices" | Meaningless without specifics |

Execution Checklist

[ ] Phase 1: All contradictions identified and resolved
[ ] Phase 2: Root file contains ONLY essentials
[ ] Phase 3: All remaining instructions categorized
[ ] Phase 4: File structure created with proper links
[ ] Phase 5: Redundant/vague instructions removed
[ ] Verify: Each linked file is self-contained
[ ] Verify: Root file is under 50 lines
[ ] Verify: All links work correctly

Anti-Patterns

Avoid
Why
Instead

Keeping everything in root
Bloated, hard to maintain
Split into linked files

Too many categories
Fragmentation
Consolidate related topics

Vague instructions
Wastes tokens, no value
Be specific or delete

Duplicating defaults
Agent already knows
Only override when needed

Deep nesting
Hard to navigate
Flat structure with links

Examples

Before (Bloated Root)

# CLAUDE.md

This is a React project.

## Code Style
- Use 2 spaces
- Use semicolons
- Prefer const over let
- Use arrow functions
... (200 more lines)

## Testing
- Use Jest
- Coverage > 80%
... (100 more lines)

## TypeScript
- Enable strict mode
... (150 more lines)

After (Progressive Disclosure)

# CLAUDE.md

React dashboard for real-time analytics visualization.

## Commands
- `pnpm dev` - Start development server
- `pnpm test` - Run tests with coverage
- `pnpm build` - Production build

## Guidelines
- [Code Style](.claude/code-style.md)
- [Testing](.claude/testing.md)
- [TypeScript](.claude/typescript.md)

Verification

After refactoring, verify:

Root file is minimal - Under 50 lines, only universal info

Links work - All referenced files exist

No contradictions - Instructions are consistent

Actionable content - Every instruction is specific

Complete coverage - No instructions were lost (unless flagged for deletion)

Self-contained files - Each linked file stands alone