Atlas / Skills / softaworks / Agent MD Refactor

Agent MD RefactorSAFE

skills/softaworks/agent-md-refactor

A curated collection of skills for AI coding agents. Skills are packaged instructions and scripts that extend agent capabilities across development, documentation, planning, and professional workflows.

Verdict
SAFE
Grade
B
Trust score
89 /100
Version
—
Hosts
2 documented
License
MIT
Stars
2,576
01

Overview

From the repository's own README, as read at the audited commit. Badges and raw HTML are left out.

A Claude Code skill that transforms bloated agent instruction files into clean, organized documentation using progressive disclosure principles.

Based on https://x.com/mattpocockuk/status/2012906065856270504 (Matt Pocock's Prompt Idea)

Purpose

Over time, agent instruction files like CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, or COPILOT.md tend to grow into unwieldy documents containing hundreds of lines of mixed instructions. This creates several problems:

  • Context waste: Every task loads the entire file, even when most instructions are irrelevant
  • Maintenance burden: Finding and updating specific instructions becomes difficult
  • Contradictions: Conflicting guidelines accumulate without being noticed
  • Signal-to-noise ratio: Important rules get buried among obvious or vague statements

This skill solves these problems by applying progressive disclosure - keeping only essential, universal instructions in the root file while organizing everything else into focused, linked documentation files.

When to Use

Use this skill when you need to clean up agent instruction files. Common trigger phrases include:

  • "refactor my AGENTS.md" / "refactor my CLAUDE.md"
  • "split my agent instructions"
  • "organize my CLAUDE.md file"
  • "my AGENTS.md is too long"
  • "progressive disclosure for my instructions"
  • "clean up my agent config"

Good candidates for refactoring:

  • Root agent files exceeding 50-100 lines
  • Files mixing multiple unrelated topics (testing, code style, architecture, etc.)
  • Documents that have grown organically without structure
  • Files containing contradictory or redundant instructions

How It Works

The skill follows a systematic 5-phase process:

Phase 1: Find Contradictions

Before restructuring, the skill identifies conflicting instructions that need resolution. Examples include contradictory style guidelines ("use semicolons" vs "no semicolons") or incompatible workflow instructions. Each contradiction is surf

Read from source at commit 28aecfe29fbfOBSERVED · 2026-10-21
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02

Host compatibility

What the documentation claims. We have not run a compatibility test.

HostStatusNotes
claude-codementioned
copilotmentioned
03

What it tells the agent

The instruction file, verbatim from the audited commit — this is the text the model reads, and the surface the audit's instruction layer examines. Quoted here so you can judge it without cloning anything.

---
name: agent-md-refactor
description: Refactor bloated AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, or similar agent instruction files to follow progressive disclosure principles. Splits monolithic files into organized, linked documentation.
license: MIT
---

# Agent MD Refactor

Refactor bloated agent instruction files (AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, COPILOT.md, etc.) to follow **progressive disclosure principles** - keeping essentials at root and organizing the rest into linked, categorized files.

---

## Triggers

Use this skill when:
- "refactor my AGENTS.md" / "refactor my CLAUDE.md"
- "split my agent instructions"
- "organize my CLAUDE.md file"
- "my AGENTS.md is too long"
- "progressive disclosure for my instructions"
- "clean up my agent config"

---

## Quick Reference

| Phase | Action | Output |
|-------|--------|--------|
| 1. Analyze | Find contradictions | List of conflicts to resolve |
| 2. Extract | Identify essentials | Core instructions for root file |
| 3. Categorize | Group remaining instructions | Logical categories |
| 4. Structure | Create file hierarchy | Root + linked files |
| 5. Prune | Flag for deletion | Redundant/vague instructions |

---

## Process

### Phase 1: Find Contradictions

Identify any instructions that conflict with each other.

**Look for:**
- Contradictory style guidelines (e.g., "use semicolons" vs "no semicolons")
- Conflicting workflow instructions
- Incompatible tool preferences
- Mutually exclusive patterns

**For each contradiction found:**
```markdown
## Contradiction Found

**Instruction A:** [quote]
**Instruction B:** [quote]

**Question:** Which should take precedence, or should both be conditional?
```

Ask the user to resolve before proceeding.

---

### Phase 2: Identify the Essentials

Extract ONLY what belongs in the root agent file. The root should be minimal - information that applies to **every single task**.

**Essential content (keep in root):**
| Category | Example |
|----------|---------|
| Project description | One sentence: "A React dashboard for analytics" |
| Package manager | Only if not npm (e.g., "Uses pnpm") |
| Non-standard commands | Custom build/test/typecheck commands |
| Critical overrides | Things that MUST override defaults |
| Universal rules | Applies to 100% of tasks |

**NOT essential (move to linked files):**
- Language-specific conventions
- Testing guidelines
- Code style details
- Framework patterns
- Documentation standards
- Git workflow details

---

### Phase 3: Group the Rest

Organize remaining instructions into logical categories.

**Common categories:**
| Category | Contents |
|----------|----------|
| `typescript.md` | TS conventions, type patterns, strict mode rules |
| `testing.md` | Test frameworks, coverage, mocking patterns |
| `code-style.md` | Formatting, naming, comments, structure |
| `git-workflow.md` | Commits, branches, PRs, reviews |
| `architecture.md` | Patterns, folder structure, dependencies |
| `api-design.md` | REST/GraphQL conventions, error handling |
| `security.md` | Auth patterns, input validation, secrets |
| `performance.md` | Optimization rules, caching, lazy loading |

**Grouping rules:**
1. Each file should be self-contained for its topic
2. Aim for 3-8 files (not too granular, not too broad)
3. Name files clearly: `{topic}.md`
4. Include only actionable instructions

---

### Phase 4: Create the File Structure

**Output structure:**
```
project-root/
├── CLAUDE.md (or AGENTS.md)     # Minimal root with links
└── .claude/                      # Or docs/agent-instructions/
    ├── typescript.md
    ├── testing.md
    ├── code-style.md
    ├── git-workflow.md
    └── architecture.md
```

**Root file template:**
```markdown
# Project Name

One-sentence description of the project.

## Quick Reference

- **Package Manager:** pnpm
- **Build:** `pnpm build`
- **Test:** `pnpm test`
- **Typecheck:** `pnpm typecheck`

## Detailed Instructions

For specific guidelines, see:
- [TypeScript Conventions](.claude/typescript.md)
- [Testing Guidelines](.claude/testing.md)
- [Code Style](.claude/code-style.md)
- [Git Workflow](.claude/git-workflow.md)
- [Architecture Patterns](.claude/architecture.md)
```

**Each linked file template:**
```markdown
# {Topic} Guidelines

## Overview
Brief context for when these guidelines apply.

## Rules

### Rule Category 1
- Specific, actionable instruction
- Another specific instruction

### Rule Category 2
- Specific, actionable instruction

## Examples

### Good
\`\`\`typescript
// Example of correct pattern
\`\`\`

### Avoid
\`\`\`typescript
// Example of what not to do
\`\`\`
```

---

### Phase 5: Flag for Deletion

Identify instructions that should be removed entirely.

**Delete if:**
| Criterion | Example | Why Delete |
|-----------|---------|------------|
| Redundant | "Use TypeScript" (in a .ts project) | Agent already knows |
| Too vague | "Write clean code" | Not actionable |
| Overly obvious | "Don't introduce bugs" | Wastes context |
| Default behavior | "Use descriptive variable names" | Standard practice |
| Outdated | References deprecated APIs | No longer applies |

**Output format:**
```markdown
## Flagged for Deletion

| Instruction | Reason |
|-------------|--------|
| "Write clean, maintainable code" | Too vague to be actionable |
| "Use TypeScript" | Redundant - project is already TS |
| "Don't commit secrets" | Agent already knows this |
| "Follow best practices" | Meaningless without specifics |
```

---

## Execution Checklist

```
[ ] Phase 1: All contradictions identified and resolved
[ ] Phase 2: Root file contains ONLY essentials
[ ] Phase 3: All remaining instructions categorized
[ ] Phase 4: File structure created with proper links
[ ] Phase 5: Redundant/vague instructions removed
[ ] Verify: Each linked file is self-contained
[ ] Verify: Root file is under 50 lines
[ ] Verify: All links work correctly
```

---

## Anti-Patterns

| Avoid | Why | Instead |
|-------|-----|---------|
| Keeping everything in root | Bloated, hard to maintain | Sp
04

Trust audit

SAFEgrade B · trust 89/100 Nothing in the source contradicts what it says it does. Grade A is reserved for packages that have also passed the behavioural sandbox.

LayerWhat it checksResult
L0Provenance & inventoryPASS
L1Static analysis of the codeNA
L2Instruction surface (what it tells the agent)PASS
L3Class-specific surfacePASS
L4Behavioural (sandbox)SKIPPED

What the source does

Filesystem
none-observed
Network
none-observed
Shell
none-observed
Dependencies
pinned
Secrets in source
none-found

Findings (1)

LOWInventory / provenance · inv.symlink · CWE-1104
CLAUDE.md
CLAUDE.md
Why it matters. link not followed

Gates applied: no_behavioural_pass.

Audited 2026-10-21 · audit v0.4.1 · source sha 28aecfe29fbffull audit observations/trust-audit/skill/softaworks__agent-md-refactor.json · Report an issue / request a re-scan
05

Audit history

Every audit this skill has had.

DateSourceVerdictGradeScoreChange
2026-10-2128aecfe29fbfSAFEB89first audit
06

Questions

What does the agent-md-refactor — softaworks/agent-toolkit skill do?

A curated collection of skills for AI coding agents. Skills are packaged instructions and scripts that extend agent capabilities across development, documentation, planning, and professional workflows.

Is agent-md-refactor — softaworks/agent-toolkit safe to install?

The audit found nothing in the source that contradicts what it says it does, and graded it B (89/100). Grade A is held back for packages that have also passed a sandboxed behavioural run, which is why a clean skill reads B.

What can agent-md-refactor — softaworks/agent-toolkit access on my machine?

The audit observed no filesystem, network or shell use at all in its source.

Which assistants does agent-md-refactor — softaworks/agent-toolkit work with?

Its documentation mentions claude-code and copilot. That is what the text claims, not a compatibility test we ran.

How current is this page?

The grade is for one exact copy of the source (28aecfe29fbf), read on 2026-10-21. The repository is watched, and a new audit runs when it changes — this is the first audit.

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