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.

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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"

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Quick Reference

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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.

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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):

NOT essential (move to linked files):

• Language-specific conventions
• Testing guidelines
• Code style details
• Framework patterns
• Documentation standards
• Git workflow details

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Phase 3: Group the Rest

Organize remaining instructions into logical categories.

Common categories:

Grouping rules:

1. Each file should be self-contained for its topic
2. Aim for 3-8 files (not too granular, not too broad)
3. Name files clearly: {topic}.md
4. Include only actionable instructions

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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
\`\`\`

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Phase 5: Flag for Deletion

Identify instructions that should be removed entirely.

Delete if:

Output format:

## Flagged for Deletion

| Instruction | Reason |
|-------------|--------|
| "Write clean, maintainable code" | Too

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