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principle-subtract-before-you-add

Updated 2026-10-01

name: principle-subtract-before-you-add
description: "Apply when sequencing an addition, refactor, or rewrite. Remove dead code, redundant validators, and stub references first, then build on the simpler base."
disable-model-invocation: true

Subtract Before You Add

When evolving a system, remove complexity first, then build.

Why: Adding to a complex system compounds complexity. Removing first leaves less code, reveals the essential structure, and usually makes the next design obvious. Default to subtraction.

Make simplification a continual investment. Leave the design slightly simpler and more capable behind the same or smaller surface than you found it.

The pattern:

Sequence removal before construction
Cut before you polish (get to the minimum before investing in quality)
Design for observed usage, not speculative edge cases
No speculative validators, parsers, or guards beyond what the spec demands
Simplify prompts (remove redundant instructions, excessive templates)
When a reference has no novel content, delete it rather than leaving a stub

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