Ponytail Help

CommunityPopular

DietrichGebert

ponytail-help

Quick-reference card for all ponytail modes, skills, and commands. One-shot display, not a persistent mode. Trigger: /ponytail-help, "ponytail help", "what ponytail commands", "how do I use ponytail".

Overview

Publisher	DietrichGebert
Repository	`ponytail`
Skill name	`ponytail-help`
Stars	141.3K
Forks	7.6K
Bundled files	Instructions only
License	MIT
Links	Skill source Repository Homepage

Markdown instructions
A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.
Works with any LLM
AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.
Self-contained
Everything the model needs lives in the instructions — no extra files to sync.
Open source
Published by DietrichGebert on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Ponytail Help AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
Choose "Install from GitHub".
Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.

Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail.git /tmp/ponytail
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/ponytail/skills/ponytail-help .claude/skills/ponytail-help

Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Ponytail Help in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Ponytail Help on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Ponytail Help is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

Loaded only when it is needed
The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.
Switch models mid-chat
Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

Ponytail Help

Display this reference card when invoked. One-shot, do NOT change mode, write flag files, or persist anything.

Levels

Level	Trigger	What change
Lite	`/ponytail lite`	Build what's asked, name the lazier alternative in one line.
Full	`/ponytail`	The ladder enforced: YAGNI → stdlib → native → one line → minimum. Default.
Ultra	`/ponytail ultra`	YAGNI extremist. Deletion before addition. Challenges requirements before building.

Level sticks until changed or session end.

Skills

Skill	Trigger	What it does
ponytail	`/ponytail`	Lazy mode itself. Simplest solution that works.
ponytail-review	`/ponytail-review`	Over-engineering review: `L42: yagni: factory, one product. Inline.`
ponytail-audit	`/ponytail-audit`	Whole-repo over-engineering audit: ranked list of what to delete.
ponytail-debt	`/ponytail-debt`	Harvest `ponytail:` shortcut comments into a tracked ledger.
ponytail-gain	`/ponytail-gain`	Measured-impact scoreboard: less code, less cost, more speed.
ponytail-help	`/ponytail-help`	This card.

Codex uses @ponytail, @ponytail-review, and @ponytail-help; Claude Code and OpenCode use the slash-command forms above (OpenCode ships all six as slash commands).

Deactivate

Say "stop ponytail" or "normal mode". Resume anytime with /ponytail. /ponytail off also works.

Configure Default Mode

Default mode = full, auto-active every session. Change it:

Environment variable (highest priority):

bash
export PONYTAIL_DEFAULT_MODE=ultra

Config file (~/.config/ponytail/config.json, Windows: %APPDATA%\ponytail\config.json):

json
{ "defaultMode": "lite" }

Set "off" to disable auto-activation on session start, activate manually with /ponytail when wanted.

Resolution: env var > config file > full.

Update

Enable auto-update once: open /plugin, go to Marketplaces, pick ponytail, Enable auto-update. Claude Code then pulls new versions at startup (run /reload-plugins when it prompts). Manual refresh: /plugin marketplace update ponytail then /reload-plugins.

If /plugin is not recognized, your Claude Code is out of date. Update it (npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@latest, or brew upgrade claude-code) and restart. Other hosts use their own update flow.

Full docs + examples: https://github.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail

Frequently asked questions

What does the Ponytail Help AI skill do?

Why use Ponytail Help on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Ponytail Help is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Ponytail Help in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail/tree/main/skills/ponytail-help. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Ponytail Help?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Ponytail Help?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Ponytail Help with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Ponytail Help AI skill free?

Yes. It is published on GitHub by DietrichGebert under the MIT license. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

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Ponytail Help

Overview

Installation

Install in TypingMind

Install in another agent

Use it in TypingMind

Works with any AI model

Skill instructions

Ponytail Help

Levels

Skills

Deactivate

Configure Default Mode

Update

More

Frequently asked questions

Set up your own AI workspace now

Overview

Installation

Install in TypingMind

Install in another agent

Use it in TypingMind

Works with any AI model

Skill instructions

Ponytail Help

Levels

Skills

Deactivate

Configure Default Mode

Update

More

Frequently asked questions

Related AI Skills

Set up your own AI workspace now