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caveman — spec encoding
Applies to SPEC.md writes, spec-referencing prose, backprop entries.
Does NOT apply to code, error strings, commit messages, PR descriptions.
GRAMMAR
Drop articles (a, an, the).
Drop filler (just, really, basically, simply, actually).
Drop aux verbs where fragment works (is, are, was, were, being).
Drop pleasantries.
No hedging (skip "might", "perhaps", "could be worth").
Fragments fine.
Short synonyms: fix > implement, big > extensive, run > execute.
SYMBOLS
Prefer over words:
→ leads to / becomes / on <x>
∴ therefore / fix
∀ for all / every
∃ exists / some
! must / required
? may / optional / unknown
⊥ never / forbidden / nil
≠ not equal
∈ in
∉ not in
≤ at most
≥ at least
& and
| or
§ section reference
PRESERVE VERBATIM
Never compress:
Code blocks, snippets, one-liners with backticks.
Paths: src/auth/mw.go.
URLs.
Identifiers: function names, variable names, env vars.
Numbers and versions.
Error message strings.
SQL, regex, JSON, YAML.
Quoted strings.
SHAPES
Invariant:
V<n>: <subject> <relation> <condition>
V1: ∀ req → auth check before handler
V2: token expiry ≤ current_time → reject
Bug row (pipe table under §B):
id|date|cause|fix
B1|2026-04-20|token `<` not `≤`|V2
Task row (pipe table under §T):
id|status|task|cites
T3|x|add auth mw|V1,I.api
Status: x done, ~ wip, . todo. Escape literal | as \|.
Interface:
<kind>: <name> → <shape>
api: POST /x → 200 {id:string}
cmd: `foo bar <arg>` → stdout JSON
env: FOO_KEY ! set
EXAMPLES
Bad:
The system should ensure that every incoming request is properly authenticated before being forwarded to its corresponding handler function.
Good:
V1: ∀ req → auth check before handler
Bad:
We discovered that the token expiration check in the middleware was using a strict less-than comparison operator, which meant tokens were being rejected at the exact moment of their expiry.
Good:
B1: token < not ≤ → reject @ expiry boundary.
Bad:
The POST endpoint at /x accepts a JSON body and returns a 200 response with an object containing the created id.
Good:
api: POST /x → 200 {id}
BOUNDARIES
User asks for prose explanation → switch to normal English.
Spec documents for external review (RFC, pitch) → normal English.
Commit message → normal English (git readers expect it).
Diff comment in code → normal English.
WHEN UNSURE
If cutting a word loses a fact, keep it. Caveman is compression, not amputation.don't have the plugin yet? install it then click "run inline in claude" again.