External/caveman
1
0
Fork 0
mirror of https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman.git synced 2026-08-11 13:21:09 +02:00
Code Issues Packages Projects Releases Wiki Activity

Caveman Updated Skill + Readme

Browse Source
This commit is contained in:
Julius Brussee
2026-07-03 12:29:48 +02:00
parent 686c0cce64
commit dc95e915c5
3 changed files with 193 additions and 165 deletions
Download Patch File Download Diff File Expand all files Collapse all files
README.md
+186 -158
View File
@@ -1,141 +1,157 @@
<p align="center">
<img src="https://em-content.zobj.net/source/apple/391/rock_1faa8.png" width="120" />
<img src="docs/assets/caveman-logo-banner.png" alt="Caveman" width="720">
</p>
<h1 align="center">caveman</h1>
<p align="center">
<strong>why use many token when few do trick</strong>
</p>
<p align="center">
Make your AI coding agent talk like a caveman.<br>
Same answers, <strong>~50–65% fewer output tokens</strong>. Brain still big. Mouth small.
</p>
<p align="center">
<a href="https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/stargazers"><img src="https://img.shields.io/github/stars/JuliusBrussee/caveman?style=flat&color=yellow" alt="Stars"></a>
<a href="https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/commits/main"><img src="https://img.shields.io/github/last-commit/JuliusBrussee/caveman?style=flat" alt="Last Commit"></a>
<a href="./INSTALL.md"><img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/works_with-30%2B_agents-orange?style=flat" alt="30+ agents"></a>
<a href="https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/commits/main"><img src="https://img.shields.io/github/last-commit/JuliusBrussee/caveman?style=flat" alt="Last commit"></a>
<a href="LICENSE"><img src="https://img.shields.io/github/license/JuliusBrussee/caveman?style=flat" alt="License"></a>
</p>
<p align="center">
<a href="#before--after">Before/After</a> •
<a href="#install">Install</a> •
<a href="#what-you-get">What You Get</a> •
<a href="#benchmarks">Benchmarks</a> •
<a href="./INSTALL.md">Full install guide</a>
<a href="#before--after">See it</a> ·
<a href="#install">Install</a> ·
<a href="#pick-your-grunt">Levels</a> ·
<a href="#what-you-get">What you get</a> ·
<a href="#benchmarks">Benchmarks</a> ·
<a href="#the-whole-cave">Ecosystem</a> ·
<a href="#caveman-2">Caveman 2</a>
</p>
---
A [Claude Code](https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code) skill/plugin (also Codex, Gemini, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, Copilot, 30+ more) that makes agent talk like caveman — cuts **~50–65% of output tokens, measured** (65% average vs default verbose replies, ~50% median vs a plain "answer concisely" baseline — real Claude API token counts, see [Benchmarks](#benchmarks)), keeps full technical accuracy. Brain still big. Mouth small.
> **Honest number warning:** caveman shrink **output** tokens only. Input tokens untouched by skill — whole-session savings smaller than the output number, and on terse tasks can be negative. Full truth: [docs/HONEST-NUMBERS.md](./docs/HONEST-NUMBERS.md).
Caveman is a skill/plugin for [Claude Code](https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code), Codex, Gemini, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, Copilot, and 30+ other agents. Install once. Agent drops the filler and answers in tight caveman-speak, keeping code, commands, and errors byte-for-byte exact. You save output tokens on every reply, forever.
## Before / After
<table>
<tr>
<td width="50%">
<th width="50%">🗣️ Normal agent — 69 tokens</th>
<th width="50%"><img src="docs/assets/dancing-rock.svg" width="18" height="18" alt=""> Caveman agent — 19 tokens</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
### 🗣️ Normal Claude (69 tokens)
> "The reason your React component is re-rendering is likely because you're creating a new object reference on each render cycle. When you pass an inline object as a prop, React's shallow comparison sees it as a different object every time, which triggers a re-render. I'd recommend using useMemo to memoize the object."
> The reason your React component is re-rendering is likely because you're creating a new object reference on each render cycle. When you pass an inline object as a prop, React's shallow comparison sees it as a different object every time, which triggers a re-render. I'd recommend using useMemo to memoize the object.
</td>
<td width="50%">
<td valign="top">
### <img src="docs/assets/dancing-rock.svg" width="20" height="20" alt="rock"/> Caveman Claude (19 tokens)
> "New object ref each render. Inline object prop = new ref = re-render. Wrap in `useMemo`."
> New object ref each render. Inline object prop = new ref = re-render. Wrap in `useMemo`.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<td valign="top">
### 🗣️ Normal Claude
> "Sure! I'd be happy to help you with that. The issue you're experiencing is most likely caused by your authentication middleware not properly validating the token expiry. Let me take a look and suggest a fix."
> Sure! I'd be happy to help you with that. The issue you're experiencing is most likely caused by your authentication middleware not properly validating the token expiry. Let me take a look and suggest a fix.
</td>
<td>
<td valign="top">
### <img src="docs/assets/dancing-rock.svg" width="20" height="20" alt="rock"/> Caveman Claude
> "Bug in auth middleware. Token expiry check use `<` not `<=`. Fix:"
> Bug in auth middleware. Token expiry check use `<` not `<=`. Fix:
</td>
</tr>
</table>
**Same fix. Half the word — sometimes way less. Brain still big.**
Same fix. Third of the words. Nothing technical lost.
```
┌──────────────────────────────────────┐
│ OUTPUT TOKENS SAVED █████ 50-65% │
│ INPUT TOKENS SAVED ─ 0% │
│ TECHNICAL ACCURACY ████████ 100% │
│ VIBES ████████ OOG │
└──────────────────────────────────────┘
┌────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ output tokens saved █████████ 50–65% │
│ input tokens saved ░░░░░░░░░ 0% │
│ technical accuracy █████████ 100% │
│ vibes █████████ OOG │
└────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
Pick your level of grunt — `lite` (drop filler), `full` (default caveman), `ultra` (telegraphic), or `wenyan` (classical Chinese, even shorter). One command switch. Cost go down forever.
**Speak your tongue.** Caveman keep your language. You write Portuguese, caveman grunt Portuguese. Spanish, French, same. Compress the *style*, not the language. Code, command, error string stay exact.
> "Novo ref de objeto cada render. Prop inline = novo ref = re-render. Envolva com `useMemo`."
<table align="center">
<tr><td>
### <img src="docs/assets/dancing-rock.svg" width="22" height="22" alt="rock"/> Like this trick? Now get whole agent — **caveman-code**
This skill shrink what agent **say**. **[caveman-code](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman-code)** shrink **everything** — full terminal coding agent, caveman top to bottom. **~2× fewer tokens than Codex** on identical tasks. 20+ providers · plan mode · autopilot goal loop · MIT.
```bash
npm install -g @juliusbrussee/caveman-code
```
[**▶ Try caveman-code now →**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman-code) — *why use many token when whole agent save*
</td></tr>
</table>
Caveman no make brain smaller. Caveman make *mouth* smaller. Shrinks what the agent **says**, not what it knows.
## Install
One line. Find every agent. Install for each.
**One command. Finds every agent on your machine. Installs for each.**
```bash
# macOS / Linux / WSL / Git Bash
# macOS · Linux · WSL · Git Bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/main/install.sh | bash
```
# Windows (PowerShell 5.1+)
```powershell
# Windows · PowerShell 5.1+
irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/main/install.ps1 | iex
```
~30 seconds. Needs Node ≥18. Skip agent you no have. Safe to re-run.
~30 seconds. Needs Node ≥18. Skips agents you no have. Safe to re-run.
**Trigger:** type `/caveman` or say "talk like caveman". Stop with "normal mode".
> [!TIP]
> **Turn it on:** type `/caveman` or say *"talk like caveman"*. **Turn it off:** say *"normal mode"*. On Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini it's already on from message one. No command needed.
One agent only, manual command, or any of 30+ other agents → [**INSTALL.md**](./INSTALL.md).
Install break? Open agent, say *"Read CLAUDE.md and INSTALL.md, install caveman for me."* Agent fix own brain.
<details>
<summary><strong>Install for one agent, or any of 30+ others</strong></summary>
## What You Get
<br>
| Skill | What |
Every agent has its own path (plugin, extension, rule file, or `npx skills add`). The full per-agent matrix, all flags, dry-run, and uninstall live in **[INSTALL.md](./INSTALL.md)**. A few common ones:
```bash
# Claude Code plugin
claude plugin marketplace add JuliusBrussee/caveman && claude plugin install caveman@caveman
# Gemini CLI extension
gemini extensions install https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman
# Cursor / Windsurf / Cline / Codex / 30+ more, via the skills registry
npx skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman -a cursor
```
**Install broke?** Open your agent in this repo and say: *"Read CLAUDE.md and INSTALL.md, install caveman for me."* Agent read repo, agent fix own brain. Snake eat tail.
</details>
## Pick your grunt
Six levels. Switch anytime with `/caveman <level>`. Level sticks until you change it or the session ends.
| Level | Same sentence, shrunk |
|---|---|
| `/caveman [lite\|full\|ultra\|wenyan]` | Compress every reply. Levels stick until session end. |
| `/caveman-commit` | Conventional Commit messages, ≤50 char subject. Why over what. |
| *normal agent* | You should wrap the object in `useMemo`, since a new reference is created on every render. |
| `lite` | Wrap object in `useMemo`. New ref created every render. |
| `full` *(default)* | New ref each render. Wrap object in `useMemo`. |
| `ultra` | New ref/render. `useMemo` it. |
| `wenyan` | New ref every render, so wrap in `useMemo` — rendered in classical Chinese, shorter still. |
> [!NOTE]
> **Speak your tongue.** Caveman keeps your language. Write Portuguese, caveman grunt Portuguese. Spanish, French, same. It compresses the *style*, never translates. `wenyan` mode is the exception on purpose: classical Chinese packs the most meaning per token.
## What you get
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| `/caveman [lite\|full\|ultra\|wenyan]` | Compress every reply. Level sticks for the session. |
| `/caveman-commit` | Conventional Commit messages, ≤50-char subject. Why over what. |
| `/caveman-review` | One-line PR comments: `L42: 🔴 bug: user null. Add guard.` |
| `/caveman-stats` | Real session token usage + lifetime savings + USD. Tweetable line via `--share`. |
| `/caveman-compress <file>` | Rewrite memory file (e.g. `CLAUDE.md`) into caveman-speak. Cuts ~46% input tokens every session. Code/URLs/paths byte-preserved. |
| `caveman-shrink` | MCP middleware. Wraps any MCP server, compresses tool descriptions. [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/caveman-shrink). |
| `cavecrew-*` | Caveman subagents (investigator/builder/reviewer). ~60% fewer tokens than vanilla, main context lasts longer. |
| `/caveman-stats` | Real session token usage, lifetime savings, USD. Tweetable line with `--share`. |
| `/caveman-compress <file>` | Rewrite a memory file (like `CLAUDE.md`) into caveman-speak. Cuts ~46% input tokens **every session after**. Code, URLs, paths byte-preserved. |
| `caveman-shrink` | MCP middleware. Wraps any MCP server, compresses its tool descriptions. [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/caveman-shrink). |
| `cavecrew-*` | Caveman subagents (investigator, builder, reviewer). ~60% fewer tokens than vanilla, so main context lasts longer. |
**Statusline badge** — Claude Code shows `[CAVEMAN] ⛏ 12.4k` (lifetime tokens saved). Updates every `/caveman-stats` run. Set `CAVEMAN_STATUSLINE_SAVINGS=0` to silence.
Auto-activate every session: Claude Code, Codex, Gemini (built-in). Cursor / Windsurf / Cline / Copilot get always-on rule files via `--with-init`. Other agents trigger with `/caveman` per session. Full feature matrix in [INSTALL.md](./INSTALL.md#what-you-get).
> [!TIP]
> On Claude Code the statusline shows `[CAVEMAN] ⛏ 12.4k` — that's your lifetime tokens saved, updated on every `/caveman-stats`. Silence it with `CAVEMAN_STATUSLINE_SAVINGS=0`.
## Benchmarks
Real token counts from the Claude API. Average **65% output reduction** across 10 prompts (range 22-87%) — measured against default (verbose) replies. Against a plain `Answer concisely.` control the median is **~50%** (committed eval snapshot in [`evals/`](./evals/), tiktoken `o200k_base`). Both numbers are output tokens only.
Real token counts from the Claude API. Average **65% output reduction** across 10 prompts (range 22–87%), measured against default verbose replies. Against a plain `Answer concisely.` control, the median is **~50%**. Both are output tokens only, and both are committed and reproducible in [`benchmarks/`](./benchmarks/) and [`evals/`](./evals/).
<!-- BENCHMARK-TABLE-START -->
| Task | Normal | Caveman | Saved |
@@ -153,9 +169,15 @@ Real token counts from the Claude API. Average **65% output reduction** across 1
| **Average** | **1214** | **294** | **65%** |
<!-- BENCHMARK-TABLE-END -->
Raw data and reproduction script: [`benchmarks/`](./benchmarks/). Three-arm eval harness (baseline / terse / skill) lives in [`evals/`](./evals/) — caveman compared against `Answer concisely.` not against verbose default, so the delta is honest.
> [!IMPORTANT]
> **Honest number warning.** Caveman only shrinks **output** tokens. Input and reasoning tokens are untouched, and the skill itself adds ~1–1.5k input tokens per turn. So whole-session savings run smaller than the output number, and on already-terse workloads they can go net-negative. The real win is **readability and speed**. Cost savings are the bonus. When caveman wins, when it loses, and how to measure it yourself: **[docs/HONEST-NUMBERS.md](./docs/HONEST-NUMBERS.md)**.
**caveman-compress receipts** (real memory files):
Turns out short isn't just cheaper. A March 2026 paper, [*Brevity Constraints Reverse Performance Hierarchies in Language Models*](https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.00025), tested 31 models and found that constraining large models to brief answers **improved accuracy by ~26 points** on some benchmarks. Sometimes less word = more correct.
<details>
<summary><strong>caveman-compress receipts</strong> — real memory files, cutting input tokens forever</summary>
<br>
| File | Original | Compressed | Saved |
|---|---:|---:|---:|
@@ -166,121 +188,107 @@ Raw data and reproduction script: [`benchmarks/`](./benchmarks/). Three-arm eval
| `mixed-with-code.md` | 888 | 560 | **36.9%** |
| **Average** | **898** | **481** | **46%** |
> [!IMPORTANT]
> Caveman only affects output tokens — input and thinking/reasoning tokens untouched. The skill itself adds ~1–1.5k input tokens per turn (the rules block), so whole-session savings are smaller than the output number, and terse workloads can come out net-negative. Caveman no make brain smaller. Caveman make *mouth* smaller. Biggest win is **readability and speed**, cost savings a bonus. When caveman wins, when caveman loses, how to measure yourself: [docs/HONEST-NUMBERS.md](./docs/HONEST-NUMBERS.md).
Every session after, that file loads ~46% smaller. Input tokens saved forever, not just one reply.
A March 2026 paper ["Brevity Constraints Reverse Performance Hierarchies in Language Models"](https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.00025) found that constraining large models to brief responses **improved accuracy by 26 points** on certain benchmarks. Verbose not always better. Sometimes less word = more correct.
</details>
## How It Work
## The whole cave
1. Install drop skill file in agent.
2. Skill tell agent: drop filler, keep substance, use fragments.
3. For Claude Code, hook also write tiny flag file each session — agent see flag, talk caveman from message one. No need say `/caveman`.
4. Stats command read Claude Code session log, count tokens saved, write number to statusline.
5. Caveman-compress sub-skill rewrite memory files (CLAUDE.md, project notes) so each session start with smaller context. Save tokens forever, not just one reply.
<table>
<tr><td>
Maintainer detail (hook architecture, file ownership, CI sync) live in [CLAUDE.md](./CLAUDE.md).
### <img src="docs/assets/dancing-rock.svg" width="20" height="20" alt=""> Want the whole agent, not just its mouth? → caveman-code
## Lobster, Meet Rock 🦞 <img src="docs/assets/dancing-rock.svg" width="22" height="22" alt="rock"/>
[**OpenClaw**](https://openclaw.ai) the self-host gateway. One box, many agent inside (Claude Code, Codex, Pi, OpenCode), wired to your Slack / Discord / iMessage / Telegram / whatever. Tagline: *"The lobster way."* Lobster strong. Lobster smart. Lobster also talk a lot.
Caveman teach lobster brevity — same canonical installer, scoped to one agent:
This skill shrinks what an agent **says**. **[caveman-code](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman-code)** shrinks **everything** — a full terminal coding agent, caveman top to bottom. **~2× fewer tokens than Codex** on identical tasks. 20+ providers, plan mode, autopilot goal loop, MIT.
```bash
# macOS / Linux / WSL
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/main/install.sh | bash -s -- --only openclaw
# Windows (PowerShell): no Node? install Node ≥18 first, then
npx -y github:JuliusBrussee/caveman -- --only openclaw
npm install -g @juliusbrussee/caveman-code
```
Two thing happen, no more:
[**▶ Try caveman-code →**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman-code)
1. **Skill drop** at `~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/caveman/SKILL.md` — spec-correct frontmatter (`version`, `always: true`), discoverable by `openclaw skills list`. Skill not auto-inject (OpenClaw load skill on demand) — that why we also do step 2.
2. **SOUL.md nudge.** Tiny marker-fenced block appended to `~/.openclaw/workspace/SOUL.md`. OpenClaw inject SOUL.md into *every* turn under "Project Context" (12K-per-file, 60K total — block well under). Lobster terse from message one. No `/caveman` per session. No nag.
</td></tr>
</table>
```
~/.openclaw/workspace/
├── skills/caveman/SKILL.md ← full ruleset, on-demand load
└── SOUL.md ← <!-- caveman-begin --> ... <!-- caveman-end -->
↑ auto-inject every turn
```
Five tools, one idea: **agent do more with less.**
Custom workspace path? `OPENCLAW_WORKSPACE=/your/path` before the command. Uninstall: same one-liner with `--uninstall` — skill folder gone, SOUL.md block ripped out cleanly, your other workspace content stay untouched. Idempotent re-runs (frontmatter not double-prepended, marker block not duplicated).
Lobster claw still sharp. Lobster mouth now small. Brain still big.
## Caveman Ecosystem
Five tools. One philosophy: **agent do more with less**.
| Repo | What |
| Repo | What it shrinks |
|------|------|
| [**caveman**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman) *(you here)* | Output compression — *why use many token when few do trick* |
| [**caveman-code**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman-code) | Whole terminal coding agent — *why use many token when whole agent can save* |
| [**cavemem**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/cavemem) | Cross-agent memory — *why agent forget when agent can remember* |
| [**cavekit**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/cavekit) | Spec-driven build loop — *why agent guess when agent can know* |
| [**cavegemma**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/finetune-caveman) | Gemma 4 31B fine-tuned on caveman pairs — *why prompt every turn when weight remember* |
| [**caveman**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman) *(you here)* | What the agent **says** |
| [**caveman-code**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman-code) | The **whole agent**, end to end |
| [**cavemem**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/cavemem) | What the agent **remembers**, across sessions |
| [**cavekit**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/cavekit) | The **build loop** — spec-driven, no guessing |
| [**cavegemma**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/finetune-caveman) | The compression **baked into weights** (Gemma fine-tune) |
Compose: cavekit drive build, caveman compress what agent *say*, cavemem compress what agent *remember*, cavegemma bake compression into weight, caveman-code ship it all as one terminal agent. One rock. Two rock. Three rock. Four rock. Five rock. That it.
<details>
<summary><strong>Also: five sibling skills, one install</strong></summary>
## More Skill From Same Cave
<br>
Caveman has siblings. [**JuliusBrussee/skills**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/skills) — five skills, one install, works in Claude Code, Cursor, Gemini, Cline, Copilot, 40+ agents:
[**JuliusBrussee/skills**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/skills) — works in Claude Code, Cursor, Gemini, Cline, Copilot, 40+ agents:
| Skill | What |
|------|------|
| [**caveman**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/skills/tree/main/skills/caveman) | This one. Speak less, say more. |
| [**grill-me**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/skills/tree/main/skills/grill-me) | Agent grill your plan *before* you build wrong thing. Checks how much you know first — no condescend, no coddle. |
| [**interface-kit**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/skills/tree/main/skills/interface-kit) | Build UI that look good, load fast, work for everyone. |
| [**junior-to-senior**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/skills/tree/main/skills/junior-to-senior) | Adversarial review pass. Junior output go in, senior output come out. |
| [**loop-factory**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/skills/tree/main/skills/loop-factory) | Spec-driven task loop — inbox → active → archive, review gate between. |
| [**grill-me**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/skills/tree/main/skills/grill-me) | Agent grills your plan *before* you build the wrong thing. |
| [**interface-kit**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/skills/tree/main/skills/interface-kit) | Build UI that looks good, loads fast, works for everyone. |
| [**junior-to-senior**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/skills/tree/main/skills/junior-to-senior) | Adversarial review pass. Junior output in, senior output out. |
| [**loop-factory**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/skills/tree/main/skills/loop-factory) | Spec-driven task loop — inbox → active → archive. |
```bash
npx skills@latest add JuliusBrussee/skills
```
One command. Five skill. Cave well stocked.
</details>
<details>
<summary><strong>🦞 Teach the lobster brevity — OpenClaw integration</strong></summary>
<br>
[**OpenClaw**](https://openclaw.ai) is a self-host gateway: one box, many agents inside, wired to Slack / Discord / iMessage / Telegram. Lobster strong. Lobster smart. Lobster also talk a lot.
Same installer, scoped to one agent:
```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/main/install.sh | bash -s -- --only openclaw
```
Two things happen, no more: a caveman skill lands in the workspace, and a tiny marker-fenced block is appended to `SOUL.md` (OpenClaw injects it every turn, so the lobster is terse from message one — no `/caveman` per session). Custom path? `OPENCLAW_WORKSPACE=/your/path`. Uninstall with the same line plus `--uninstall`; your other workspace content stays untouched. Lobster claw still sharp. Lobster mouth now small.
</details>
## Caveman 2
**Caveman make token small. Caveman 2 make it _provable_.**
Today's savings numbers (including `/caveman-stats`) are local estimates. Caveman 2 measures and verifies them across a whole team — real receipts, real dashboard, real proof the tokens went down. Building it now.
[**Join the waitlist → caveman.so**](https://caveman.so)
## How it works
1. Install drops a skill file into your agent.
2. Skill tells agent: drop filler, keep substance, use fragments — but never touch code, commands, or errors.
3. On Claude Code, a hook writes a tiny flag file each session, so the agent talks caveman from message one without `/caveman`.
4. `/caveman-stats` reads your session log, counts tokens saved, writes the number to your statusline.
5. `/caveman-compress` rewrites memory files (like `CLAUDE.md`) so every future session starts with a smaller context. Save tokens forever, not just once.
Hook architecture, file ownership, and CI sync are documented for maintainers in [CLAUDE.md](./CLAUDE.md).
## Privacy
Caveman no phone home. No telemetry, no analytics, no accounts, no backend. After install, zero network calls — skill is a prompt, hooks are local scripts, `/caveman-stats` reads your session log on your disk. Install-time fetches (GitHub + your agents' own registries) and scanner-warning explanations: [SECURITY.md](./SECURITY.md#privacy--telemetry).
## Links
- [docs/HONEST-NUMBERS.md](./docs/HONEST-NUMBERS.md) — when caveman saves, when caveman costs, how to measure
- [INSTALL.md](./INSTALL.md) — full install matrix, all flags, per-agent detail
- [CONTRIBUTING.md](./CONTRIBUTING.md) — how to send patch
- [CLAUDE.md](./CLAUDE.md) — maintainer guide (file ownership, hook architecture, CI)
- [docs/](./docs/) — extra guides (Windows install, etc.)
- [Issues](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/issues) — bug, feature, weird behavior
## Caveman 2 (coming soon)
**caveman make tokens small. caveman 2 will prove it.**
Local savings numbers (including `/caveman-stats`) are estimates. Caveman 2 will measure and verify them across a team — [join the waitlist](https://caveman.so).
## Star This Repo
Caveman save you token, save you money. Star cost zero. Fair trade. ⭐
[![Star History Chart](https://api.star-history.com/svg?repos=JuliusBrussee/caveman&type=Date)](https://star-history.com/#JuliusBrussee/caveman&Date)
## Also by Julius Brussee
- **[Revu](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/revu-swift)** — local-first macOS study app with FSRS spaced repetition. [revu.cards](https://revu.cards)
Caveman no phone home. No telemetry, no analytics, no accounts, no backend. After install, zero network calls — the skill is a prompt, the hooks are local scripts, and `/caveman-stats` reads a log already on your disk. Install-time fetches (GitHub plus your agents' own registries) are spelled out in [SECURITY.md](./SECURITY.md#privacy--telemetry).
## Sponsors
caveman free forever. Sponsor keep rock sharp.
Caveman free forever. Sponsors keep the rock sharp.
<p align="center">
<a href="https://www.atlascloud.ai">
<picture>
<source media="(prefers-color-scheme: dark)" srcset="docs/assets/atlas-cloud-dark.svg">
<img src="docs/assets/atlas-cloud.svg" alt="Atlas Cloud" height="28">
<img src="docs/assets/atlas-cloud.svg" alt="Atlas Cloud" height="32">
</picture>
</a>
</p>
@@ -289,8 +297,28 @@ caveman free forever. Sponsor keep rock sharp.
<a href="https://www.atlascloud.ai"><strong>Atlas Cloud</strong></a> — full-modal AI inference platform, one API.
</p>
Want rock here too? [Sponsor caveman](https://github.com/sponsors/JuliusBrussee).
<p align="center">
<a href="https://github.com/sponsors/JuliusBrussee"><strong>Want your rock here? → Sponsor caveman</strong></a>
</p>
## License
## Star this repo
Caveman save you token, save you money. Star cost zero. Fair trade. ⭐
[![Star History Chart](https://api.star-history.com/svg?repos=JuliusBrussee/caveman&type=Date)](https://star-history.com/#JuliusBrussee/caveman&Date)
---
<sub>
<strong>Docs:</strong>
<a href="./INSTALL.md">Install matrix</a> ·
<a href="./docs/HONEST-NUMBERS.md">Honest numbers</a> ·
<a href="./CONTRIBUTING.md">Contributing</a> ·
<a href="./CLAUDE.md">Maintainer guide</a> ·
<a href="https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/issues">Issues</a>
<br>
<strong>Also by Julius Brussee:</strong>
<a href="https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/revu-swift">Revu</a> — local-first macOS study app with FSRS spaced repetition (<a href="https://revu.cards">revu.cards</a>)
<br><br>
MIT — free like mass mammoth on open plain.
</sub>
docs/assets/caveman-logo-banner.png
BIN
View File
Binary file not shown.
Side by Side

After

Width:  |  Height:  |  Size: 19 KiB

skills/caveman/SKILL.md
+7 -7
View File
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ Default: **full**. Switch: `/caveman lite|full|ultra`.
## 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"). No tool-call narration, no decorative tables/emoji, no dumping long raw error logs unless asked — quote shortest decisive line. Standard well-known tech acronyms OK (DB/API/HTTP); never invent new abbreviations reader can't decode. Technical terms exact. Code blocks unchanged. Errors quoted exact.
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"). No tool-call narration, no decorative tables/emoji, no dumping long raw error logs unless asked — quote shortest decisive line. Standard well-known tech acronyms OK (DB/API/HTTP); never invent new abbreviations (cfg/impl/req/res/fn) — tokenizer split them same as full word: zero token saved, reader still decode. Full word cheaper AND clearer. No causal arrows (→) either — own token, save nothing. Technical terms exact. Code blocks unchanged. Errors quoted exact.
Preserve user's dominant language. User write Portuguese → reply Portuguese caveman. User write Spanish → reply Spanish caveman. Compress the style, not the language. No forced English openings or status phrases. ALWAYS keep technical terms, code, API names, CLI commands, commit-type keywords (feat/fix/...), and exact error strings verbatim — unless user explicitly ask for translation.
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ Yes: "Bug in auth middleware. Token expiry check use `<` not `<=`. Fix:"
|-------|------------|
| **lite** | No filler/hedging. Keep articles + full sentences. Professional but tight |
| **full** | Drop articles, fragments OK, short synonyms. Classic caveman. No tool-call narration, no decorative tables/emoji, no long raw error-log dumps unless asked. Standard acronyms OK; no invented abbreviations |
| **ultra** | Abbreviate prose words (DB/auth/config/req/res/fn/impl) — prose words only, never real code symbols/function names. Strip conjunctions, arrows for causality (X → Y), one word when one word enough. Code symbols, function names, API names, error strings: never abbreviate |
| **ultra** | Strip conjunctions when cause-then-effect stay unambiguous. One word when one word enough. State each fact once. NO prose abbreviations (cfg/impl/req/res/fn/auth), NO arrows (X → Y) — measured zero token saving under tokenizer, cost decode clarity. Code symbols, function names, API names, error strings: never touch |
| **wenyan-lite** | Semi-classical. Drop filler/hedging but keep grammar structure, classical register |
| **wenyan-full** | Maximum classical terseness. Fully 文言文. 80-90% character reduction. Classical sentence patterns, verbs precede objects, subjects often omitted, classical particles (之/乃/為/其) |
| **wenyan-ultra** | Extreme abbreviation while keeping classical Chinese feel. Maximum compression, ultra terse |
@@ -43,17 +43,17 @@ Yes: "Bug in auth middleware. Token expiry check use `<` not `<=`. Fix:"
Example — "Why React component re-render?"
- lite: "Your component re-renders because you create a new object reference each render. Wrap it in `useMemo`."
- full: "New object ref each render. Inline object prop = new ref = re-render. Wrap in `useMemo`."
- ultra: "Inline obj prop → new ref → re-render. `useMemo`."
- ultra: "Inline obj prop, new ref, re-render. `useMemo`."
- wenyan-lite: "組件頻重繪，以每繪新生對象參照故。以 useMemo 包之。"
- wenyan-full: "每繪新生對象參照，故重繪；以 useMemo 包之則免。"
- wenyan-ultra: "新參照→重繪。useMemo Wrap。"
- wenyan-ultra: "新參照則重繪。useMemo 包之。"
Example — "Explain database connection pooling."
- lite: "Connection pooling reuses open connections instead of creating new ones per request. Avoids repeated handshake overhead."
- full: "Pool reuse open DB connections. No new connection per request. Skip handshake overhead."
- ultra: "Pool = reuse DB conn. Skip handshake → fast under load."
- wenyan-full: "池reuse open connection。不每req新開。skip handshake overhead。"
- wenyan-ultra: "池reuse conn。skip handshake → fast。"
- ultra: "Pool reuse open DB connections. No per-request handshake."
- wenyan-full: "池蓄已開之連，不逐請而新開，省握手之費。"
- wenyan-ultra: "池蓄連，免逐請新開，省握手。"
## Auto-Clarity