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Via negativa: subtract before adding v1.0.0

Use this resource to simplify a system by removing what harms it before adding another layer

New

  • 497 downloads
  • 114 likes
  • 124 saves

Free

Install with the CLI

In a terminal, from the folder you want:

npx --yes palatekit@latest install subtraction-before-addition

With no option, the skill goes to ~/.agents/skills/; add --agent claude-code (or codex, cursor…) to target an agent.

First time: connect the CLI with

npx --yes palatekit@latest login

The agent first looks for what can be removed (complexity, superfluous step, unneeded dependency), with a guard before any irreversible deletion. An addition is kept only if the need remains after those removals.

Mostly picked by

Updated November 2, 2026

Card for the “Via negativa: subtract before adding” skill

Details

Works in
Install guides
Generates with
Your agent's model
Licence
MIT

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What you get

  • SKILL.md: method for finding removals and the irreversibility guard
  • SKILL.md: cases where not to remove, such as access controls or tests

Good fit for

  • A process has grown and nobody knows what each step is for
  • A bug keeps returning and the usual answer would be another layer

Not for

    Tags

    • simplification
    • removal
    • complexity

    About

    You say

    “Before we add a cache, tell me what we can remove from the loading path.”

    Card for the “Via negativa: subtract before adding” skill

    Skill published by tjboudreaux under the MIT license, delivered in its original version.

    Show more

    How to use it

    1. Install the skill in your agent's skills folder
    2. Ask your agent to simplify a system by removing what harms it before adding another layer
    3. Review and adjust the result

    Content preview

    Files

    • LICENSE1.1 KB
    • NOTICE-PALATEKIT.md0.5 KB
    • SKILL.md2.9 KB

    Origin and licence

    Listed unmodified

    Author
    tjboudreaux
    Source
    github.com/tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills/tree/7b8fece345dfaa11773be7152ccd194589cb5437/skills/thinking-via-negativa
    Licence
    MIT

    Notice

    « thinking-via-negativa » (tjboudreaux, MIT) livré dans sa version d'origine : fiche en français et en anglais par PalateKit.

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