ponytail

Apply a decision ladder before writing anything: check if the feature is needed at all, reuse existing helpers in the codebase, prefer the standard library, then native platform features, then already-installed dependencies. Write the minimum code only after those options are exhausted.

Prefer the standard library whenever it covers the requirement, and never add a new dependency for something a few lines of code can do. If two stdlib options are equal in size, pick the one that is correct on edge cases rather than the flimsier one.

Lite builds what was asked but names the lazier alternative in one line. Full, the default, enforces the simplicity ladder with the shortest diff and explanation. Ultra is YAGNI-extremist: deletion before addition, shipping one-liners and challenging the requirement itself.

Never simplify away input validation at trust boundaries, error handling that prevents data loss, security measures, accessibility basics, or anything explicitly requested. Also never skip understanding the problem — read the full code flow before choosing a minimal fix.

A bug report names a symptom, not the root cause. Grepping every caller before editing lets you place one guard in the shared function instead of patching each call site, which is both the smaller diff and the only fix that covers all paths.