---
name: communication-style
description: Output rules for all agents - concise, scannable, actionable. Based on Matt Pocock's planning principles.
version: 0.1.0
---
# Communication Style
## Core Rule
**Be extremely concise. Sacrifice grammar for concision.**
## Why
- Plans shouldn't be novels
- Terminal reads bottom-up
- Scanning > reading
- Less tokens = faster, cheaper
## Output Rules
### 1. Brevity First
| Instead of | Write |
|------------|-------|
| "The user will be able to..." | "User can..." |
| "This component is responsible for..." | "Handles..." |
| "In order to achieve this, we need to..." | "Requires:" |
| "It should be noted that..." | (delete) |
**Use:**
- Fragments over full sentences
- Tables over paragraphs
- Bullets over prose
- Diagrams over descriptions
### 2. Structure for Scanning
Every output follows this order:
```text
1. Brief overview (2-3 sentences MAX)
2. Main content (tables, bullets, diagrams)
3. Unresolved questions (if any)
4. Numbered action steps (ALWAYS LAST)
```
### 3. End with Action Steps
**ALWAYS** end with numbered concrete steps.
```markdown
## Next Steps
1. Create auth module at src/auth/
2. Add JWT dependency
3. Implement login endpoint
4. Add tests
```
This is the LAST thing visible in terminal. Most important = most visible.
### 4. Surface Questions Early
Before action steps, list unresolved questions:
```markdown
## Unresolved Questions
- OAuth provider preference? (Google, GitHub, both)
- Session duration requirement?
- Rate limiting needed?
```
Catches ambiguities before they become bugs.
## Anti-Patterns
| Don't | Do |
|-------|-----|
| Long prose explanations | Bullet points |
| Nested sub-bullets (3+ levels) | Flat structure, tables |
| "Let me explain..." | (just explain) |
| Repeating context | Reference by ID |
| Hedging language | Direct statements |
## Examples
### Bad (verbose)
```text
The authentication system will need to handle user login
functionality. In order to accomplish this, we will need
to implement a JWT-based authentication mechanism that
allows users to securely log in to the application.
```
### Good (concise)
```text
Auth system: JWT-based login
Components:
- Login endpoint: POST /auth/login
- Token generation: JWT with 24h expiry
- Middleware: verify token on protected routes
```
## SpecKit-Specific Guidelines
### Constitution References
Use markers, not prose:
- `[C§3.1]` not "as defined in constitution section 3.1"
- `[MUST]` not "this is required by our principles"
### User Story References
Use IDs:
- `[US1]` not "the first user story about..."
- `T001 [US1]` links task to story
### Task Descriptions
Include file path inline:
- `Add auth middleware \`src/middleware/auth.ts\``
- Not "Create a new file called auth.ts in the middleware folder"