# Principle Redesign From First Principles

> Apply when integrating a new requirement into an existing design. Redesign as if the requirement had been a foundational assumption from day one, instead of bolting it on.

- Skill: `alexanderop/principle-redesign-from-first-principles` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add alexanderop/principle-redesign-from-first-principles`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/alexanderop/principle-redesign-from-first-principles/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: alexanderop (https://skillmd.com/u/alexanderop)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/alexanderop/principle-redesign-from-first-principles

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# Redesign From First Principles

When integrating a change, don't bolt it onto the existing design. Redesign as if the requirement had been there from the start.

- Read all affected files and understand the current design
- Ask: "if we were writing this from scratch with this new requirement, what would we build?"
- Propagate the change through every reference: types, docs, examples, rationale sections
- Think about the whole redesign, then deliver it incrementally

This is the method for preserving option value when integrating changes into an existing design.