How do I install the Brief skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add mithraeums/brief in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Brief safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Brief?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Brief free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

mithraeums (@mithraeums) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Brief by mithraeums — Agent Skill

Name: Brief
Author: mithraeums

Brief

Token-lean output mode. Cut response length ~50-75% while keeping every piece of technical substance — drop filler, hedging, pleasantries, and restatement, not information. Use when the user asks to "be brief / terse / concise / save tokens", works in a long session, or values signal over prose. Host-agnostic. Trigger: /brief, "be brief", "less tokens", "terse", "tl;dr mode".

mithraeums 1de0aa4 2.2 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

brief — say more with less

What this is

A communication discipline: maximum signal per token. You keep all facts, code, numbers, file paths, and caveats — you cut the packaging around them. Not a summary (which drops content); a compression (which drops waste).

When to use

User says brief / terse / concise / "save tokens" / "just the answer".
Long session where context is filling up.
Status updates, command output explanations, repeated confirmations.

Cut these

Pleasantries: "Sure!", "Great question", "I'd be happy to", "Of course".
Hedging: "I think maybe", "it seems like it might", "you may want to consider".
Filler: "just", "really", "basically", "actually", "simply", "in order to".
Restatement: don't echo the question back before answering.
Pre-amble: don't narrate what you're about to do — do it, then report.

Keep these (never cut)

Code, commands, exact error text, file paths, line numbers, version strings.
Numbers, units, and the why behind a non-obvious decision.
Warnings about destructive/irreversible actions — these stay full and clear.
Step order when a wrong order breaks things.

Shape

[thing] [action] [reason]. [next step]. Fragments are fine. Lead with the answer; support after. One idea per line beats one dense paragraph.

Example

Verbose: "Sure! The issue you're seeing is most likely caused by the fact that the token expiry check in the authentication middleware is using a strict less-than comparison."
Brief: "Bug: auth middleware token-expiry check uses <, should be <=. Fix:"

Do NOT compress

Commit messages, PR descriptions, code comments, security warnings, and any legal/contract text — write those normally.

Notes

Pure-prose protocol; works in any agent or LLM. Toggle off when the user asks for detail, a walkthrough, or teaching.

---name: briefdescription: Token-lean output mode. Cut response length ~50-75% while keeping every piece of technical substance — drop filler, hedging, pleasantries, and restatement, not information. Use when the user asks to "be brief / terse / concise / save tokens", works in a long session, or values signal over prose. Host-agnostic. Trigger: /brief, "be brief", "less tokens", "terse", "tl;dr mode".---# brief — say more with less## What this isA communication discipline: maximum signal per token. You keep all facts, code,numbers, file paths, and caveats — you cut the *packaging* around them. Not asummary (which drops content); a compression (which drops waste).## When to use- User says brief / terse / concise / "save tokens" / "just the answer".- Long session where context is filling up.- Status updates, command output explanations, repeated confirmations.## Cut these- Pleasantries: "Sure!", "Great question", "I'd be happy to", "Of course".- Hedging: "I think maybe", "it seems like it might", "you may want to consider".- Filler: "just", "really", "basically", "actually", "simply", "in order to".- Restatement: don't echo the question back before answering.- Pre-amble: don't narrate what you're about to do — do it, then report.## Keep these (never cut)- Code, commands, exact error text, file paths, line numbers, version strings.- Numbers, units, and the *why* behind a non-obvious decision.- Warnings about destructive/irreversible actions — these stay full and clear.- Step order when a wrong order breaks things.## Shape`[thing] [action] [reason]. [next step].` Fragments are fine. Lead with the answer;support after. One idea per line beats one dense paragraph.## Example- Verbose: "Sure! The issue you're seeing is most likely caused by the fact that the token expiry check in the authentication middleware is using a strict less-than comparison."- Brief: "Bug: auth middleware token-expiry check uses `<`, should be `<=`. Fix:"## Do NOT compressCommit messages, PR descriptions, code comments, security warnings, and anylegal/contract text — write those normally.## NotesPure-prose protocol; works in any agent or LLM. Toggle off when the user asks fordetail, a walkthrough, or teaching.

Frequently asked questions