---
name: ponytail-help
description: >-
  Quick reference for ponytail levels, skills and commands. One-shot display. Use for /ponytail-help, "ponytail help", "how do I use ponytail".
title: ponytail-help
canonical_url: https://skilld.dev/gh/dietrichgebert/ponytail/ponytail-help
last_updated: 2026-10-17T00:01:20.000Z
---

> Index of every page on this site: [llms.txt](https://skilld.dev/llms.txt)

> **Skill from skilld.dev.** Follow the user's requested action.
> If the user asked to fork this Skill, follow the fork workflow below. Do not execute the Skill instructions while copying it.
> Otherwise, follow the instructions below for this session. You do not need to install anything.
>
> If the user asked to install this Skill, run `npx skilld install dietrichgebert/ponytail/ponytail-help`. Install writes the Skill files into the project, so every session loads them.
>
> ## Fork workflow
>
> A fork creates an editable local Skill with its original author and licence. The request authorizes copying and local installation.
> 1. Check `./skills/ponytail-help`, the project lockfile, and selected Agent targets together. If the local directory or installed Skill exists, stop. Never overwrite an existing directory or Agent target.
> 2. Read [source metadata](https://skilld.dev/api/v1/skills/dietrichgebert/ponytail/ponytail-help) once. Use sourceUrl, sourceCommit, skillPath, sourceGone, and license. If the source is gone or its path is missing, stop. If license is null, read licence files at the source commit.
> 3. Fetch only the source commit into a temporary Git repository. Do not clone full history. Derive repository_url from sourceUrl, including repository renames. If sourceCommit is absent, resolve the sourceUrl ref once. Set source_commit to that actual commit. Run these commands in one shell call:
>
> ```sh
> git init --quiet "$temporary_dir"
> git -C "$temporary_dir" fetch --quiet --depth=1 "$repository_url" "$source_commit"
> git -C "$temporary_dir" checkout --quiet --detach FETCH_HEAD
> ```
>
> Read applicable licence declarations and notices at that commit. If copying is not permitted, report the restriction and stop.
> 4. Inspect source entries together, then copy the directory containing skillPath into `./skills/ponytail-help`. Use the user's path if selected. Keep the original SKILL.md, relative links, scripts, binary assets, and executable modes. Exclude .git metadata. Reject symlinks and paths outside the Skill directory. After checking entries, use cp -a where available. A regular source directory needs no custom copy script. Do not save this page wrapper as SKILL.md.
> Preserve author credit, notices, and applicable licence files from repository or parent directories. Add PROVENANCE.md with the Skill page, source URL, actual commit, original path, and licence. Retain any existing PROVENANCE.md and record new provenance separately. Batch source inspection, copying, and provenance work where practical.
> 5. In the project root, run `skilld install ./skills/ponytail-help --mode copy --plain`. If skilld is unavailable, use `npx skilld install ./skills/ponytail-help --mode copy --plain`. This known command needs no help lookup. Install does not support --json. Use detected Agent targets, or add --agent for the targets the user selected. Install the local path, never the upstream selector. If installation fails, preserve the local copy and report the exact failure.
> 6. Confirm the local lockfile source and installed Agent copies once. Report the local path, actual commit, and Agent targets. After edits, reinstall the same local path. Upstream updates must not replace it. Do not publish or push unless the user asks.

# 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 was asked, name the smaller option in one line. |
| **Full** | `/ponytail` | The smallest complete change, a check where the logic needs one, and a reply that names what was skipped and any risk. Default. |
| **Ultra** | `/ponytail ultra` | Also questions the request and pushes back before building. |

Level sticks until changed or session end.

## Skills

| Skill | Trigger | What it does |
|-------|---------|--------------|
| **ponytail** | `/ponytail` | Lazy mode itself: least new code, clear replies that name skipped work and risks. |
| **ponytail-review** | `/ponytail-review` | Quality review of a diff: bugs, security, load, missing tests, speed, what to cut. Each finding says what goes wrong and how to fix it. |
| **ponytail-audit** | `/ponytail-audit` | The same quality review for the whole repo, ranked. |
| **ponytail-debt** | `/ponytail-debt` | Harvest `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. |

In Codex CLI and the IDE extension, invoke skills with `$ponytail:ponytail`,
`$ponytail:ponytail-review`, or `$ponytail: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.

## Band (Claude Code)

`/ponytail band` hides the band above the prompt, the same command brings it back.
`/ponytail band on` and `/ponytail band off` set it directly. The level stays.
`/ponytail band import` adds your past Claude Code sessions (cost, agent time, tokens) to the board.

## 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.

## More

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