skills.rest
markster-public
markster-publicOFFICIAL
Explore all skills by this author →
GitHub

karpathy

Enforce minimal code changes with explicit assumptions and verifiable success criteria.

56|20|Updated Mar 26, 2026
Search Tags:#coding#assumptions#guidelines#simplicity#deterministic execution#surgical edits#code change verification
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/markster-public/markster-os --skill karpathy-markster-public
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: karpathy
Source: https://github.com/markster-public/markster-os/tree/main/skills/karpathy
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/markster-public/markster-os --skill karpathy-markster-public

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

It prevents LLM coding mistakes by enforcing strict simplicity, explicit assumptions, and minimal, goal-driven changes that reduce unintended side effects.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Think Before Coding: Forces the model to surface uncertainty and ask when requirements are ambiguous instead of guessing.
  • Simplicity First: Limits output to the smallest correct solution to avoid overengineering.
  • Surgical Changes: Restricts edits to only what the user asked for, and cleans up any new orphans introduced by the change.

Use case: You’re doing a complex feature update and want predictable, low-risk diffs—especially when the existing codebase should not be refactored or “improved” beyond the request.

Quick Start

Enable the karpathy skill and ask your AI to perform a focused code change with explicit assumptions and defined success criteria.

Frequently Asked Questions about karpathy

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I stop AI from overengineering and refactoring code I didn't ask to change?▼

To prevent hidden assumptions in AI code generation, use a discipline that forces the model to surface uncertainty and ask questions when requirements are ambiguous. This ensures explicit assumptions are stated before any code is written, reducing unpredictable behavior.

What is the best way to get minimal, predictable diffs for complex feature updates?▼

The best way to get minimal, predictable diffs is to enforce surgical code edits with defined success criteria tied to measurable verification. This approach limits changes to the specific request and cleans up any new orphans introduced by the modification.

Why does my AI assistant guess requirements instead of asking for clarification?▼

To verify code change success and ensure deterministic execution, tie your success criteria to measurable verification outcomes. This enforces strict coding discipline, requiring explicit assumptions and minimal code that satisfies the request predictably.

Can I apply surgical code edits to an existing codebase without triggering unwanted refactors?▼

Yes, you can apply surgical code edits to an existing codebase without unwanted refactors by enforcing strict simplicity and minimal, goal-driven changes. This discipline restricts edits to your request and cleans up orphaned code without improving beyond scope.

Related Skills

Explore More Software Engineering Skills→
RugkeyProRugkeyPro

karpathy-guidelines

Provides behavioral guidelines for LLMs writing, reviewing, or refactoring code to reduce mistakes.

Community
Intermediate
ringlochidringlochid

coding-implementation

Diagnose root causes and implement minimal scoped code changes with verification.

Community
Intermediate
stephanjstephanj
9

andrej-karpathy

Enforce assumption validation and surgical scope control during complex refactoring.

Community
Advanced
ToXMonToXMon

karpathy-guidelines

Enforce conservative coding practices and surgical edits for LLM-generated changes.

Community
Intermediate