Token efficiency

Token Efficiency

Reduce output token waste and prevent iteration cycles that consume context.

Trigger

Use when:

• Sessions feel expensive or slow
• Output is verbose with filler text
• Claude is re-reading files or iterating unnecessarily
• Setting up a new project for token-efficient work

Anti-Sycophancy Rules

These patterns waste 30-60% of output tokens:

Pattern	Example	Fix
Sycophantic opener	"Sure! Great question!"	Delete. Lead with answer.
Prompt restatement	"You're asking about X..."	Delete. Answer directly.
Closing fluff	"Let me know if you need anything!"	Delete. Stop after the answer.
Unsolicited suggestions	"You might also want to..."	Delete unless asked.
AI disclaimers	"As an AI model..."	Delete entirely.
Verbose preambles	"I'll help you with that..."	Delete. Start with the action.

Tool-Call Budgets

Set explicit budgets by task complexity:

Task Type	Tool-Call Budget	Wrap-Up At
Quick fix / lookup	20 calls	15
Bug fix	30 calls	25
Feature (small)	50 calls	40
Feature (large)	80 calls	65
Refactor	50 calls	40
Exploration / research	30 calls	25

At the wrap-up threshold: commit progress, assess remaining work, decide whether to continue or start fresh.

One-Pass Coding Discipline

For simple-to-medium tasks:

1. Read all relevant files including tests first
2. Understand what tests assert before coding
3. Write complete solution in one pass — not incrementally
4. Run tests once — if pass, STOP immediately
5. If fail: read the error, fix once, retest
6. Never iterate more than twice on the same failure — rethink approach
7. Never refactor, improve, or polish passing code

Task Profiles

Switch profiles based on what you're doing:

Coding Profile

• Return code first, explanation after (only if non-obvious)
• Simplest working solution, no over-engineering
• Read file before modifying — always
• No docstrings on unchanged code
• No error handling for impossible scenarios
• State bug, show fix, stop

Agent/Pipeline Profile

• Structured output only: JSON, bullets, tables
• No prose unless targeting a human reader
• Every output must be parseable without post-processing
• Execute task, do not narrate actions
• Never invent file paths, API endpoints, or function names
• If unknown: return null or "UNKNOWN", never guess

Analysis Profile

• Lead with finding, context and methodology after
• Tables and bullets over prose
• Numbers must include units
• Never fabricate data points
• Summary first (3 bullets max), caveats last

Read-Before-Write Enforcement

Hard rules:

1. Never write a file you haven't read in this session
2. Never re-read a file already read unless it was modified
3. Read tests before coding — understand what passes before writing
4. Read error output carefully before attempting a fix

ASCII-Only Output

Use ASCII characters only in all output:

• -- not — (em dash)
• " not " " (smart quotes)
• ' not ' ' (curly apostrophes)
• No emoji unless explicitly requested
• No Unicode decorators or special characters

This ensures clean copy-paste for code and compatibility with downstream systems.

Measuring Impact

Track these metrics to measure token savings:

• Output length: average words per response (target: 30-50% reduction)
• Tool calls per task: should stay within budget tier
• Re-read count: should be near zero
• Write-without-read count: should be zero
• Iteration cycles: tests should pass in 1-2 attempts, not 5+

Attribution

Token efficiency patterns adapted from drona23/claude-token-efficient (MIT).