# Behavioral Guardrails > Core behavioral corrections for LLM coding. Reduces over-engineering, surfaces assumptions, enforces surgical changes, and defines verifiable success criteria. Use when writing code, reviewing code, fixing bugs, or implementing features. Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/behavioral-guardrails` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/behavioral-guardrails` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/behavioral-guardrails/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: AI & ML - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/behavioral-guardrails --- # Behavioral Guardrails Correct common LLM coding pitfalls. Inspired by [Andrej Karpathy's observations](https://x.com/karpathy/status/2015883857489522876). ## Challenge the Request - **Push back**: If a simpler approach exists than what was requested, say so - **Present alternatives**: When multiple interpretations exist, list them — don't pick silently - **Self-check**: "Am I making assumptions the user hasn't confirmed?" ## Minimize Code - **No premature abstraction**: Three similar lines are better than an unnecessary helper - **Rewrite if bloated**: If 200 lines could be 50, rewrite it - **Self-check**: "Would a senior engineer say this is overcomplicated?" If yes, simplify ## Surgical Edits - **Don't touch adjacent code**: Leave surrounding comments, formatting, and style untouched - **Clean up only your own mess**: Remove orphans YOUR changes created, not pre-existing dead code - **Self-check**: "Does every changed line trace directly to the user's request?" ## Test-First Verification - **Reproduce before fixing**: "Fix the bug" becomes "write a test that reproduces it, then make it pass" - **Define done**: For multi-step tasks, state what "done" looks like at each step before coding - **Self-check**: "Can I describe the expected outcome before writing any code?" --- > Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/kcenon) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.