ratchet-review
Reviews a diff or a whole repository for over-engineering only, and returns a delete list rather than prose. Finds reinvented standard library calls, dependencies the platform already covers, abstractions with one implementation, wrappers that only forward, configuration nothing reads and dead flexibility. Use whenever the user says "review for over-engineering", "what can we delete", "is this over-engineered", "find the bloat", "audit this repo", or invokes /ratchet-review. Pair it with a normal correctness review, it deliberately does not look for bugs.
Profile →npx skills add 0xwilliamortiz/ratchet --skill ratchet-review --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
# Ratchet review Return findings, not opinions. One line each. The best outcome for a diff is getting shorter. ## Scope Run `git diff` for a change under review, or walk the tree for a whole repository audit. Rank by lines removable, largest first. Before reporting a finding, confirm the replacement actually exists in this project: the standard library version for this language version, the native feature for the browsers or runtime this project targets, the helper at the path you are naming. A finding that does not compile is worse than no finding. ## Format ``` <path>:<line> <tag>: <what to cut>. <what replaces it>. ``` Tags: - `exists` the repository already has this. Give the path. - `stdlib` the standard library ships this. Name the function. - `native` the platform does this. Name the feature. - `yagni` one implementation, one caller, or nothing reads it. - `wrapper` forwards to another function and adds nothing. - `shrink` same behaviour, fewer lines. Show the shorter form. ## Examples Not this: "The EmailValidator class may be more complex than strictly necessary, and you might consider whether all of these rules are needed." This: ``` src/validate.js:12 stdlib: 27-line ema
- Scope
- Format
- Examples
- Out of scope
What does the ratchet-review skill do?
Reviews a diff or a whole repository for over-engineering only, and returns a delete list rather than prose. Finds reinvented standard library calls, dependencies the platform already covers, abstractions with one implementation, wrappers that only forward, configuration nothing reads and dead flexibility. Use whenever the user says "review for over-engineering", "what can we delete", "is this over-engineered", "find the bloat", "audit this repo", or invokes /ratchet-review. Pair it with a normal correctness review, it deliberately does not look for bugs.
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add 0xwilliamortiz/ratchet --skill ratchet-review --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From 0xwilliamortiz/ratchet, a repository with 430 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.