thinking-lindy-effect
For non-perishable things, future life expectancy is proportional to current age. Use for technology selection, evaluating frameworks/libraries, and predicting tool longevity.
Profile →npx skills add majiayu000/claude-skill-registry --skill thinking-lindy-effect --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.
# The Lindy Effect ## Overview The Lindy Effect, named after a New York deli where comedians discussed career longevity, states that for non-perishable things (ideas, technologies, books, practices), future life expectancy is proportional to current age. If a technology has survived 20 years, it's likely to survive another 20. If it's survived 2 years, expect another 2. **Core Principle:** Time is the ultimate test. Old things that still exist have proven their value; new things are still being tested. ## When to Use - Technology selection (languages, frameworks, databases) - Evaluating libraries and dependencies - Predicting tool longevity - Career skill investment - Methodology and practice adoption - Architectural patterns - Vendor/product selection Decision flow: ``` Choosing between options? → Are some options significantly older? → yes → APPLY LINDY HEURISTIC → Is longevity important for this choice? → yes → FAVOR OLDER, PROVEN OPTIONS → Is the new thing solving a new problem? → yes → NEW MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE ``` ## Understanding Lindy ### What Lindy Applies To (Non-Perishable) - **Technologies:** Languages, databases, protocols - **Ideas:** Mathematical concepts, design patt
- Overview
- When to Use
- Understanding Lindy
- What Lindy Applies To (Non-Perishable)
- What Lindy Doesn't Apply To (Perishable)
- The Math
- Applying Lindy to Technology
- Programming Languages
- Databases
- Frameworks
- Patterns and Practices
- The Lindy Decision Process
- Step 1: Assess Age of Options
- Step 2: Apply Lindy Heuristic
What does the thinking-lindy-effect skill do?
For non-perishable things, future life expectancy is proportional to current age. Use for technology selection, evaluating frameworks/libraries, and predicting tool longevity.
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add majiayu000/claude-skill-registry --skill thinking-lindy-effect --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 majiayu000/claude-skill-registry, a repository with 534 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.