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  3. Ponytail Debt skill
DietrichGebert · 40K installs

Ponytail Debt skill
Runs by itself, weekly debt scan.

No shortcut quietly becomes permanent.

Install the Ponytail Debt skill and make it a habit: follow https://gethabit.dev/skills/dietrichgebert/ponytail-debt.md

  1. 1Copy
  2. 2Paste into Claude Code, Codex or Cursor
  3. 3It runs by itself

40K installs172K starsMIT licenceSource on GitHub ↗

Ponytail Debt

by DietrichGebert · 40K installs

The skill

Ponytail debt collects every shortcut: comment in a repo into one debt ledger with its limit and upgrade trigger, and flags markers with no trigger.

Only when you ask.

The habit

No shortcut quietly becomes permanent.

↻ Runs by itselfweekly debt scan

How the habit works.
You don't have to.

Three questionsWhen does it start? How does it check its work? What does it remember?

01

It starts by itself

weekly debt scan. Runs in Claude Code routine or GitHub Actions.

  • ↻ weekly debt scan
  • 0 8 * * 5

02

It checks its work

ledger matches grep. If a check fails, it tries again.

  • ✓ledger row count equals the number of git grep hits kept
  • ✓ledger ends with the <N> markers, <M> with no trigger. line
  • ✓every row without an upgrade path carries the no-trigger tag

03

It remembers

debt ledger file. The next run reads it first: last week's marker count and no-trigger rows.

PONYTAIL-DEBT.md

One run, step by step.
Then it stops.

Stop ruleStops after one full repo scan per run.

  1. 01

    Read last ledger

    The agent opens PONYTAIL-DEBT.md and notes last week's totals.

  2. 02

    Grep for markers

    It runs git grep --no-index --exclude-standard for shortcut: and ponytail: comments.

  3. 03

    Drop non-deferrals

    It skips hits that only mention the word, like a note about a keyboard shortcut.

  4. 04

    Write ledger rows

    It writes one row per marker, grouped by file, with the ceiling and upgrade trigger.

  5. 05

    Flag rot risk

    It tags rows that name no upgrade path with no-trigger and writes the totals line.

What it may do.
Nothing more.

Safe by defaultIt writes only in its own folder and asks you before anything goes out.

Is it for you?
Use it when it fits.

Quick checkRead both lists. If the left one sounds like you, the Ponytail Debt skill helps.

Use it when

  • ✓ You mark shortcuts with comments
  • ✓ You want one list of deferred work
  • ✓ You want to spot shortcuts with no plan

Skip it when

  • – Your repo has no marker comments
  • – You want the shortcuts fixed for you

Questions

Ponytail Debt skill, answered.

Can I use TODO instead of shortcut:?

Yes. Name your own marker word, like /ponytail-debt TODO, and it greps for that.

Does it fix the shortcuts?

No. It only reads and reports. The ledger tells you when to revisit each one.

Can I see who wrote each shortcut?

Yes. Add git blame on the line to get an owner per row.

How do I install the Ponytail Debt skill?

Copy the prompt at the top into your agent. It installs the skill from DietrichGebert/ponytail and sets up the habit. Or run npx skills add DietrichGebert/ponytail --skill ponytail-debt.

Is the Ponytail Debt skill free?

Yes. It is published under MIT. Habit is free too.

Ponytail Debt. Now as a habit.

Install the Ponytail Debt skill and make it a habit: follow https://gethabit.dev/skills/dietrichgebert/ponytail-debt.md

  • Free
  • No account
  • Undo in one line

All DietrichGebert skills →More code skills →

Works in

  • Claude Code
  • Codex
  • Cursor
  • ChatGPT
  • Claude app

Made by DietrichGebert, published under MIT. Habit links to the original and never changes it. Is this your skill?

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