Illustration of what improve does: Agent skill that audits a codebase and writes plans for cheaper models to carry out

shadcn /

improve

Agent skill that audits a codebase and writes plans for cheaper models to carry out

Strong models are good at understanding a codebase and deciding what to fix, but running them through every edit is expensive. This skill splits the work. The strong model audits and writes the spec, and it never changes your source code. The plans are the output.

A run maps the repo and finds its build, test and lint commands. Parallel subagents then audit nine areas, including correctness, security, performance, tests and docs. The main model re-reads every cited file and line to drop false positives. You get a ranked table and choose which findings become plans.

Each plan is a markdown file written for a weak executor. It holds file paths, current code, repo conventions, a verification command per step, and STOP conditions for when the code doesn't match. Any agent or human can pick it up. The skill can also dispatch a cheaper model in a git worktree and review its diff, but merging stays with you.

What it does

  • Evidence-backed audit

    Subagents check nine categories in parallel. Each finding carries file:line evidence, impact, effort and confidence. The advisor re-checks every location before showing you.

  • Self-contained plans

    Each plan inlines code excerpts, conventions and verified commands. Steps end with an expected output, and out-of-scope lists and STOP conditions limit improvising. Plans record the git commit they were written against.

  • Focused modes

    Options include quick, deep, security, branch (only what your branch changes), next (feature suggestions), plan (spec one thing) and review-plan (tighten an existing plan).

  • Execute and review

    /improve execute runs a cheaper model in an isolated git worktree, re-runs the done criteria and reads the diff. It can approve, send back for up to 2 revisions, or block.

  • Backlog upkeep

    reconcile verifies finished plans, rewrites blocked ones and retires fixed findings. --issues publishes plans as GitHub issues.

What you could build

  • Audit an unfamiliar repo and get a ranked list of problems with file and line evidence.
  • Turn a chosen finding into a spec that a small, cheap model can implement.
  • Check only the changes on your current branch before opening a pull request.
  • Publish a set of improvement plans as GitHub issues for a team or agents to pick up.
  • Get feature suggestions grounded in a project's own docs and code.

Get started

Install the skill, open your agent in the repo and run /improve (or /improve quick to keep it cheap). Pick the findings you want planned, then read the files in plans/ and hand one to an agent or run /improve execute 001.

npx skills add shadcn/improve

Commands are copied from the project's README. Read it on GitHub for the full setup.

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