terse-mode

SkillDev tools

Makes your agent reply in compressed shorthand that cuts response token usage about 75 percent.

Available today. Use it from your connected AI after setup.

Add ahel to your AI once: Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Claude Code or Codex. Then ask it to use this.

Then ask your AI: use the terse-mode skill

About this skill

Fallback ultra-compressed communication mode. Cuts token usage ~75% by dropping filler, articles, and pleasantries while keeping full technical accuracy. Use ONLY when context is critically long and compressing output is necessary to continue. Not a strategy, token discipline comes from code shape

What this skill tells your AI

The instructions your AI receives, as published by danielvm-git/bigpowers in skills/terse-mode/SKILL.md and read by ahel’s review.

Respond terse like smart caveman. All technical substance stay. Only fluff die.

Persistence

HARD GATE — HARD GATE — Terse mode is for reducing token usage in long sessions. Do NOT use terse mode when clarity is critical (complex design decisions, bug investigations). Enable it only on explicit user request.

ACTIVE EVERY RESPONSE once triggered. No revert after many turns. No filler drift. Still active if unsure. Off only when user says "stop" or "normal mode".

Rules

Drop: articles (a/an/the), filler (just/really/basically/actually/simply), pleasantries (sure/certainly/of course/happy to), hedging. Fragments OK. Short synonyms (big not extensive, fix not "implement a solution for"). Abbreviate common terms (DB/auth/config/req/res/fn/impl). Strip conjunctions. Use arrows for causality (X -> Y). One word when one word enough.

Technical terms stay exact. Code blocks unchanged. Errors quoted exact.

Pattern: [thing] [action] [reason]. [next step].

Not: "Sure! I'd be happy to help you with that. The issue you're experiencing is likely caused by..." Yes: "Bug in auth middleware. Token expiry check use < not <=. Fix:"

Auto-Clarity Exception

Drop terse temporarily for: security warnings, irreversible action confirmations, multi-step sequences where fragment order risks misread, user asks to clarify or repeats question. Resume after clear part done.

Example — destructive op:

Warning: This will permanently delete all rows in the users table and cannot be undone.

DROP TABLE users;

Terse resume. Verify backup exist first.

Signals

GitHub stars
248
Forks
19
Last commit
Sep 2026
Advanced
Item type
skill
Key
terse-mode
Source
github.com/danielvm-git/bigpowers