Mrbaeksang Karpathy Discipline
Source: Andrej Karpathy on LLM coding pitfalls.
Activates on
- Any request to write, edit, refactor, fix, or add code.
- Before opening an Edit/Write tool call on existing code.
Pre-flight checks (must pass before generating code)
① Think Before Coding
- Stated assumptions explicitly?
- Multiple interpretations → presented to the user?
- A simpler path exists → mentioned first?
- Named the unclear parts?
② Simplicity First
- No features outside the request?
- No abstractions for single-use code?
- No error handling for impossible scenarios?
- Reviewed whether 200 lines could be 50?
③ Surgical Changes
- Every line traces to the user's request?
- No "improvements" to adjacent code?
- Existing style preserved (even if you'd write it differently)?
- Pre-existing dead code → mentioned only, not deleted?
- Removed only orphans my changes created?
④ Goal-Driven Execution
- Task converted into a verifiable goal?
- Multi-step work has per-step verify checks?
- Strong success criteria (avoid weak phrases like "make it work")?
Translation table
| Request | Goal |
|---|---|
| "Add validation" | "Write tests for invalid inputs → fail → implement → pass" |
| "Fix the bug" | "Write reproducing test → fail → fix → pass" |
| "Refactor X" | "Confirm tests pass → refactor → tests still pass" |
| "Clean this up" | (ambiguous) → ask: formatting? function split? naming? |
Violation signals — stop and tell the user
- Imports the user didn't ask to change.
- "Bonus" helper functions added.
- "Just in case" try/except.
- Variable renamed for "cleanliness" without request.
- Formatting changes in unrelated regions.
Working signals
- Diffs are small; every line traces to the request.
- Clarification questions arrive before implementation.
- "A simpler approach exists..." appears often.
- "This is outside the requested scope, leaving it" appears when it should.
Language
Respond in the user's language (Korean for Korean prompts, etc.). Code identifiers and file paths stay as-is.