principle-subtract-before-you-add

Subtract Before You Add When evolving a system, remove complexity first, then build. Deletion gives you a simpler base, which makes the next addition smaller and less brittle. Why: Adding to a complex system compounds complexity. Removing first cuts the surface area, 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 Out-of-spec features drag validators behind them. Persistence, retry-on-startup, and schema migration each need guards to defend their inputs. Simplify prompts (remove redundant instructions, excessive templates) When a reference has no novel content, delete it rather than leaving a stub Installs 887 Repository cursor/plugins GitHub Stars 3.7K First Seen May 24, 2026 Security Audits Gen Agent Trust Hub Pass Socket Pass Snyk Pass