ponytail-debt
Lists all code shortcuts ('shortcut:') left for later. It helps to see what still needs to be fixed in the project.
What it does
This tool lists all 'shortcut' or 'ponytail' notes left in the code. It acts as a ledger to remember future improvements that were postponed.
When to use it
- ✓When you want to know which improvements were deferred.
- ✓To review pending code optimization tasks.
- ✓When organizing software project maintenance.
Example of what to ask your AI
“List all shortcut debts in the code.”
Want more? Open the sections below.
How to use
The easiest way: copy the message below and paste it into Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any AI. It reads the skill and follows the instructions.
Skill link
Ready-to-paste message
How it works
The tool searches for specific comments in the code that mark deferrals. It organizes these notes by file, showing what was deferred, the ceiling for revisiting, and when to revisit.
Installation
Easiest way: copy the skill link and paste it into Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor asking it to follow the instructions.
In the terminal (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor), in your project folder:
npx skills add DietrichGebert/ponytail --skill ponytail-debtOr download just the file:
curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail/main/skills/ponytail-debt/SKILL.md -o SKILL.mdTechnical content (original SKILL.md)
Original text by the author, straight from GitHub.
Every deliberate ponytail shortcut is marked with a shortcut: comment naming
its ceiling and upgrade path (older code may say ponytail:). This collects them into one ledger so a deferral
can't quietly become permanent.
Scan
Grep the repo for comment markers, skipping .git and everything the
.gitignore files ignore (dependencies, build output, caches, in any stack):
git grep --no-index --exclude-standard -nE '(#|//|/[*]) ?(shortcut|ponytail):' (add other comment prefixes if your stack uses them)
If the user names their own marker word (/ponytail-debt TODO), grep for that word instead.
Each hit is one ledger row. The comment prefix keeps prose that merely mentions the convention out of the ledger. Skip hits that are not a deferral, like a note about a keyboard shortcut.
Output
One row per marker, grouped by file:
<file>:<line>, <what was simplified>. ceiling: <the limit named>. upgrade: <the trigger to revisit>.
The convention is shortcut: <ceiling>, <upgrade path>, so pull the ceiling
and the trigger straight from the comment. Want an owner per row too? add
git blame -L<line>,<line>.
Flag the rot risk: any marker comment that names no upgrade path or
trigger gets a no-trigger tag, those are the ones that silently rot.
End with <N> markers, <M> with no trigger. Nothing found: No shortcut debt. Clean ledger.
Boundaries
Reads and reports only, changes nothing. To persist it, ask and it writes the
ledger to a file (e.g. PONYTAIL-DEBT.md). One-shot.
FAQ
What is 'ponytail debt'?
It's a way of postponing a code improvement by marking it with a special comment so it isn't forgotten and can be revisited later.
Does the tool change the code?
No, it only reads and lists existing notes. It does not make any modifications to the code.
What do 'ceiling' and 'upgrade path' mean?
'Ceiling' is the limit or condition for revisiting the improvement. 'Upgrade path' is the trigger or situation that indicates when this improvement should be implemented.
Details
Original description by the author
List every `shortcut:` comment (and older `ponytail:` ones) as a debt ledger. One-shot report, changes nothing. Use for "ponytail debt", "what did ponytail defer", "list the shortcuts", /ponytail-debt.
repo: DietrichGebert/ponytail
Popularity
- GitHub stars
- 164k
- Ranking position
- #335
- License
- MIT
- Updated
- 10/15/2026
Comments
- …
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