# Ponytail (agent skill)

> Ponytail is an agent skill (a SKILL.md file) from DietrichGebert/ponytail. Forces the laziest solution that actually works, simplest, shortest, most minimal. It works with Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode and has 156,966 GitHub stars across a repository of 3 listed skills.

Forces the laziest solution that actually works, simplest, shortest, most minimal. Channels a senior dev who has seen everything: question whether the task needs to exist at all (YAGNI), reach for the standard library before custom code, native platform features before dependencies, one line before fifty. Supports intensity levels: lite, full (default), ultra. Use on ANY coding task: writing, adding, refactoring, fixing, reviewing, or designing code, and choosing libraries or dependencies.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | https://github.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail |
| Skill path | skills/ponytail/SKILL.md |
| Skill name | ponytail |
| GitHub stars | 156,966 |
| Installs on skills.sh | 72,989 |
| License | MIT |
| Skills in repo | 3 |
| Plugin marketplace | ponytail |
| Official | no |
| Works with | Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, OpenCode |
| Category | Coding |
| Last commit | Oct 5, 2026 |

## When it triggers

- Use on ANY coding task: writing, adding, refactoring, fixing, reviewing, or designing code, and choosing libraries or dependencies.
- use for non-coding requests (general knowledge, prose, translation, summaries, recipes).
- "ponytail"
- "be lazy"
- "lazy mode"
- "simplest solution"
- "minimal solution"
- "yagni"

## Add this skill

### Claude Code

```sh
/plugin marketplace add DietrichGebert/ponytail
/plugin install ponytail@ponytail
```

In the Claude apps, zip the skill folder and upload it under Customize > Skills > + > Upload a skill (code execution must be on).

### ChatGPT / Codex

```sh
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail.git
cp -r ponytail/skills/ponytail .agents/skills/ponytail   # repo; ~/.agents/skills for all projects
```

### Cursor

```sh
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail.git
cp -r ponytail/skills/ponytail .cursor/skills/ponytail   # project; ~/.cursor/skills for all projects
```

Sources (checked 2026-10-07): https://code.claude.com/docs/en/skills, https://support.claude.com/en/articles/12512180-using-skills-in-claude, https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/build-skills, https://cursor.com/docs/context/skills

skills.sh listing: https://www.skills.sh/DietrichGebert/ponytail/ponytail

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Canonical page: https://appsgit.com/skills/dietrichgebert-ponytail
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