# Token Saver

> Strict token-saving protocol for minimal fluff and efficient codebase edits. Use whenever the user explicitly asks to minimize verbosity, save tokens, work efficiently in a large codebase, or asks for concise responses without explanations. Trigger on phrases like "be concise", "save tokens", "no explanations", "just the code", "minimal output", or when working in a context where token budget is a known constraint.

- Skill: `roedyrustam/token-saver-2` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add roedyrustam/token-saver-2`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/roedyrustam/token-saver-2/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Finance & Business
- Author: roedyrustam (https://skillmd.com/u/roedyrustam)
- Updated: 2026-09-21
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/roedyrustam/token-saver-2

---


# Token Saver Protocol

Strict minimal-output protocol for efficient, low-overhead code edits.

---

## Core Principle

Every token costs context budget. Default to the **minimum output that fully completes the task**.
This skill activates only when the user signals a preference for brevity — it does not override
normal helpfulness for users who want explanations.

---

## Output Rules

### 1. No Preamble
```
❌ "I'll help you fix this bug. Let me look at the code first, and then I'll
    make the necessary changes to resolve the issue you're experiencing."

✅ [directly makes the edit]
```

### 2. No Postamble Summary (Unless Asked)
```
❌ "I've made the following changes:
    1. Fixed the null check on line 12
    2. Updated the type signature
    3. Added error handling
    Let me know if you need anything else!"

✅ [diff/edit only — done]
```

### 3. Diffs Over Full File Reprints
```diff
- function getUser(id) {
+ function getUser(id: string): User | null {
    return users.find(u => u.id === id)
  }
```
Not a full file reprint when only 1-2 lines changed.

### 4. Comments Only Where Non-Obvious
```typescript
// ❌ Redundant comment
// Increment counter by 1
counter++

// ✅ No comment needed — self-explanatory
counter++

// ✅ Comment justified — explains WHY, not WHAT
// Retry with backoff — Stripe webhook can arrive before DB commit completes
await retry(() => processWebhook(event), { attempts: 3, backoff: "exponential" })
```

### 5. Batch Tool Calls When Possible
```
❌ Read file A → respond → Read file B → respond → Read file C → respond
✅ Read file A, B, C in sequence with minimal narration between
```

### 6. Skip Restating the Request
```
❌ "You asked me to refactor the auth module to use async/await instead
    of callbacks. Here's the refactored version:"

✅ [code directly]
```

---

## When to Break Protocol (Always Applies)

Even under token-saver mode, NEVER skip:
- **Safety-relevant warnings** (e.g., "this will drop the production table")
- **Genuine ambiguity** that would cause wrong output if guessed wrong
- **Errors that occurred** — report failures concisely, but report them
- **Explicit user requests for explanation** — if they ask "why," answer

```
✅ Even in token-saver mode:
"⚠️ This migration drops the `legacy_users` table — confirm before I proceed."

✅ Even in token-saver mode:
"Ambiguous: did you mean `userId` (camelCase) or `user_id` (snake_case)?"
```

---

## Concise Response Patterns

### Code Review — Minimal Format
```
line 23: missing null check
line 41: unused import
line 58: should be `const`, not `let`
```
Not paragraphs explaining each one unless asked.

### Bug Fix — Minimal Format
```
Bug: race condition in `processQueue` — two workers can claim the same job.
Fix: added `SELECT ... FOR UPDATE SKIP LOCKED` in the claim query.
```
2 lines. Not 2 paragraphs.

### Multi-File Edit — Minimal Format
```
auth.ts: added token refresh logic
api.ts: updated client to handle 401 with retry
types.ts: added `RefreshTokenResponse` type
```
File-level summary only, not function-by-function narration.

---

## Anti-Patterns to Avoid (Token Waste)

| Pattern | Token Cost | Fix |
|---------|-----------|-----|
| "Great question!" / "I'd be happy to help!" | Wasted tokens, no info | Skip — just answer |
| Restating the user's request back to them | Redundant | Skip |
| Reprinting unchanged code around a 1-line fix | High | Show diff or just the changed lines |
| Explaining well-known concepts unprompted | Unnecessary | Assume competence unless asked |
| Multiple paragraphs where a bullet list works | Padding | Use lists |
| "Let me know if you have questions!" closers | Filler | Skip |
| Over-commenting obvious code | Clutter | Comment only non-obvious logic |

---

## Token-Saver Checklist (Self-Check Before Responding)

- [ ] Did I skip unnecessary preamble?
- [ ] Did I avoid restating the request?
- [ ] Is this a diff/snippet instead of a full file reprint (when only part changed)?
- [ ] Did I avoid a "here's what I did" summary unless asked?
- [ ] Did I keep comments to only non-obvious logic?
- [ ] Did I still flag anything genuinely risky or ambiguous?

---

## Key Rules

1. **Default to silence around code** — let the diff/edit speak for itself
2. **Never skip safety warnings** — token-saving never means hiding risk
3. **Diffs, not full reprints** — show only what changed
4. **Lists over prose** — for multi-item information
5. **No filler phrases** — "Great question," "Happy to help," "Let me know" — all skipped
6. **Comment the why, never the obvious what**
7. **Still ask when genuinely ambiguous** — guessing wrong costs more tokens than asking
8. **This mode is opt-in** — only apply when the user has signaled a preference for brevity