Ponytail is an AI coding skill that makes your AI agent think like the laziest senior developer. It follows a 7-step ladder to minimize code while maintaining safety, validation, and security. The best code is the code you never write.

Installation varies by AI agent platform:

Claude Code: /plugin marketplace add DietrichGebert/ponytail then /plugin install ponytail@ponytail
Codex: codex plugin marketplace add DietrichGebert/ponytail then codex plugin add ponytail@ponytail
Gemini CLI: gemini extensions install https://github.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail
GitHub Copilot CLI: copilot plugin marketplace add DietrichGebert/ponytail then copilot plugin install ponytail@ponytail
Pi Agent: pi install git:github.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail
OpenCode: Add { "plugin": ["@dietrichgebert/ponytail"] } to your opencode.json

Ponytail supports 20+ AI agent platforms including Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot CLI, Pi Agent, OpenCode, Devin CLI, Grok Build, Hermes Agent, Swival, Qoder, Antigravity CLI, CodeWhale, and more. It also works with instruction-only adapters like Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, GitHub Copilot Chat, Aider, Kiro, Zed, and others.

Ponytail implements a 7-step ladder before writing code:
1. Does this need to exist? (YAGNI)
2. Already in this codebase? (Reuse)
3. Stdlib does it? (Use it)
4. Native platform feature? (Use it)
5. Installed dependency? (Use it)
6. One line? (Write one line)
7. Only then: the minimum that works

The ladder runs after understanding the problem, ensuring safety and validation are never compromised.

lite: Basic minimalism with essential safety checks
full: Default mode with complete safety and validation
ultra: Maximum minimalism for legacy codebases
off: Disables Ponytail

Set with /ponytail [mode] or via PONYTAIL_DEFAULT_MODE env var.

/ponytail [mode] - Set intensity level
/ponytail-review - Review current diff for over-engineering
/ponytail-audit - Audit entire repo for over-engineering
/ponytail-debt - Harvest deferred shortcuts
/ponytail-gain - Show impact scoreboard
/ponytail-help - Quick reference

Ponytail delivers:
• -54% less code (up to 94% reduction)
• -20% cheaper AI costs
• -27% faster development
• 100% safe with maintained safety guards

Measured on real Claude Code sessions editing FastAPI + React repositories against agents without Ponytail.

Absolutely. The code you never wrote scales infinitely with zero bugs, zero CVEs, and 100% uptime. Ponytail prevents over-engineering at scale while maintaining system integrity.

Ponytail reduces both code generation time (-27%) and execution costs (-20%) by eliminating unnecessary code. The minimal codebase results in faster load times and reduced computational overhead.

Yes, and you should. Caveman shrinks what the agent says; Ponytail shrinks what it builds. They work synergistically - caveman handles prose minimalism while Ponytail focuses on code minimalism with no overlap.

No configuration is required. An optional ~/.config/ponytail/config.json or PONYTAIL_DEFAULT_MODE env var can set the default level, but Ponytail works out of the box.

When you genuinely need complex code (like a specialized caching mechanism), Ponytail will build it correctly and completely. The ladder only eliminates unnecessary complexity, not essential functionality.

Yes. Ponytail maintains 100% safety by never removing validation, error handling, security checks, or accessibility features. The ladder explicitly preserves these critical components while only eliminating unnecessary code.

Ponytail is licensed under the MIT License - the shortest license that works. This means you can freely use, modify, and distribute Ponytail in both commercial and open-source projects.

Absolutely. The MIT License permits commercial use without restrictions. You can integrate Ponytail into proprietary applications, internal tools, and commercial AI agents without any licensing fees.

The name references the stereotypical "lazy senior developer" - experienced professionals who solve problems with minimal code. As the README states: "You know him. Long ponytail. Oval glasses. Has been at the company longer than the version control."

Get support through:
• GitHub Issues: Submit issues
• /ponytail-help command for quick reference
• /ponytail-review for code assistance
• Community discussions in the repository

Contributions are welcome! You can:
• Submit pull requests for improvements
• Report bugs or suggest features
• Add support for new AI agents
• Help with documentation
• Participate in discussions

See the GitHub repository for contribution guidelines.