Refinement Loop

Community

lexler

refinement-loop

Iterative refinement through multiple passes. Use when the user asks to 'meditate on', 'distill', 'refine', or 'iterate on' something, or proactively when a problem benefits from multiple passes rather than a single attempt.

Overview

Publisher	lexler
Repository	`skill-factory`
Skill name	`refinement-loop`
Stars	239
Forks	63
Bundled files	Instructions only
License	Apache-2.0
Links	Skill source Repository

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 lexler on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Refinement Loop 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.
https://github.com/lexler/skill-factory/tree/main/output_skills/practices/refinement-loop
Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.

Store

Installed

Skills

Add skills

Import one or more skills from a public GitHub folder or a local .skill or .zip archive, or SKILL.md file.

From GitHub URLFrom .skill, .zip, or SKILL.md

GitHub repo or folder

https://github.com/lexler/skill-factory/tree/main/output_skills/practices/refinement-loop

Points to a single skill folder, or any folder that contains multiple skills. Public repos only.

CancelContinue

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/lexler/skill-factory.git /tmp/skill-factory
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/skill-factory/output_skills/practices/refinement-loop .claude/skills/refinement-loop

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

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Refinement Loop 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 Refinement Loop 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 Refinement Loop 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.

Refinement Loop

STARTER_CHARACTER = 🔄

Iterative refinement through file artifacts. Each pass removes one layer of noise, revealing the next.

Setup

Ensure playground/ exists and is in .gitignore. All iteration files go there.

Process

1. Clarify Goal (if the user hasn't defined it for you already earlier in the conversation)

Ask the user:

What are you refining and what is the goal of refinement?
Derive a short tag that we'll use as filename for iterating: {goal}-{subject} (e.g., gist-nullables, simplify-api, distill-auth-docs)

2. Capture Starting Point

Write original to: playground/{goal}-{subject}-0.md

3. Iterate

Loop:

Read back the current file (forces fresh perspective)
Reflect critically: What's missing? What's weak? What could be clearer?
If improvements found: Write improved version to playground/{goal}-{subject}-{N+1}.md, then loop again

Before Stopping - Exhaustive Check

When you think you're done, you're probably not. Run through this:

List everything that could still be improved - even small things (formatting, word choice, structure, clarity)
Consider what we haven't considered - what angles did we miss? What would someone else notice?
Try improving in a new direction - not just polishing what's there, but questioning assumptions
Read as if seeing it for the first time - does it immediately make sense? Is anything unclear?

Only stop when you've gone through this checklist extensively multiple times and genuinely found nothing. There is no "good enough" - someone will use this later and shouldn't waste time on mediocre results.

4. Present Final

Show the user the final version with a brief summary of the refinement journey and number of iterations you used. If deeper issues or questions surfaced, present them to the user as well.

Principles

Read back forces fresh eyes: Reading from file breaks the "I just wrote this" blindness
No "good enough": Every detail matters. Formatting, word choice, structure - all of it
Consider the unconsidered: What angles haven't we explored? What would someone else see? Is there something that the user hasn't even considered, too? (you can surface it as questions at the end)
Files force iterative improvement: Writing to files prevents "pretend" iteration in conversation. Real iteration gets to much better results.
Earn the stop: Run the exhaustive check. If you find nothing, you've earned stopping.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Refinement Loop AI skill do?

Why use Refinement Loop on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Refinement Loop 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 Refinement Loop in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/lexler/skill-factory/tree/main/output_skills/practices/refinement-loop. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Refinement Loop?

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 Refinement Loop?

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

Is the Refinement Loop AI skill free?

Yes. It is published on GitHub by lexler under the Apache-2.0 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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Overview

Installation

Install in TypingMind

Install in another agent

Use it in TypingMind

Works with any AI model

Skill instructions

Refinement Loop

Setup

Process

1. Clarify Goal (if the user hasn't defined it for you already earlier in the conversation)

2. Capture Starting Point

3. Iterate

Before Stopping - Exhaustive Check

4. Present Final

Principles

Frequently asked questions

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