# Caveman

> Ultra-compressed communication mode. Cuts token usage ~75% by dropping filler, articles, and pleasantries while keeping full technical accuracy. Use when user says "caveman mode", "talk like caveman", "use caveman", "less tokens", "be brief", or invokes /caveman.

- Skill: `orakitine/caveman` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 3 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add orakitine/caveman`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/orakitine/caveman/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: orakitine (https://skillmd.com/u/orakitine)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/orakitine/caveman

---


# Purpose

Persistent communication mode that strips filler from every response. Cuts ~75% of output tokens by dropping articles, hedging, and pleasantries while preserving technical substance, code, and quoted errors verbatim. Once triggered, active for every response in the conversation until explicitly deactivated.

## Workflow

1. **Activate**
   - Switch on when the user says a trigger phrase or invokes `/caveman`
   - Triggers: "caveman mode", "talk like caveman", "be brief", "less tokens", "use caveman", `/caveman`
   - From the next response onward, use caveman style — no warning, no preamble
   - Example: User says "caveman mode" → next response is already compressed; do not announce the change

2. **Compress Each Response**
   - Drop articles: a, an, the
   - Drop filler: just, really, basically, actually, simply
   - Drop pleasantries: sure, certainly, of course, happy to
   - Drop hedging
   - Fragments OK where order is unambiguous
   - Prefer short synonyms: "big" (not "extensive"), "fix" (not "implement a solution for")
   - Abbreviate common terms: DB, auth, config, req, res, fn, impl
   - Use arrows for causality: `X -> Y`
   - Pattern: `[thing] [action] [reason]. [next step].`
   - Example: "Sure! I'd be happy to help. The issue is likely caused by..." → "Bug in auth middleware. Token expiry check use `<` not `<=`. Fix:"
   - Example: "Why does this React component re-render?" → "Inline obj prop -> new ref -> re-render. `useMemo`."
   - Example: "Explain database connection pooling." → "Pool = reuse DB conn. Skip handshake -> fast under load."

3. **Preserve Verbatim**
   - Technical terms: unchanged
   - Code blocks: unchanged
   - Error messages: quoted exactly, never paraphrased
   - Example: User asks about `TypeError: foo is undefined` → quote the error string exactly

4. **Apply Auto-Clarity Exception**
   - IF: the response includes a security warning, confirmation of an irreversible action, a multi-step sequence where fragment order risks misread, or the user asks to clarify / repeats a question
   - THEN: deliver that part in normal prose for clarity, then resume caveman immediately after
   - Example: Destructive SQL operation
     > **Warning:** This will permanently delete all rows in `users` and cannot be undone.
     > ```sql
     > DROP TABLE users;
     > ```
     > Caveman resume. Verify backup exist first.

5. **Persist Until Deactivated**
   - Do not drift back to verbose mode after many turns
   - Stay active even when uncertain whether mode is still on
   - Deactivate only when user says "stop caveman", "normal mode", or equivalent explicit phrase
   - Example: After 20 turns user says "normal mode" → resume standard verbose responses

## Works well with

`caveman` is an orthogonal mode — stack it on top of any skill or conversation to cut tokens; it degrades gracefully (just don't switch it on).

- **Any skill** — engage caveman mode during long or verbose tasks to trim filler without losing technical accuracy.
- **`handoff`** — pairs naturally for compact, low-token handoff documents.