
Caveman Help
FreeQuick-reference for Caveman commands and modes.
Free · Opens the source repo
What Caveman Help does
Caveman Help is a straightforward reference tool designed for users of the Caveman command interface. When invoked, it provides a one-shot display of available modes and skills without altering the current mode or writing persistent files. This makes it particularly useful for users who need quick access to commands without the overhead of navigating through extensive documentation or remembering complex syntax. The command can be triggered using phrases like /caveman-help, caveman help, or what caveman commands.
The skill categorizes its functionality into various modes, each offering a different level of verbosity. Users can choose from modes like Lite, Full, Ultra, and Wenyan styles, which adjust the output style to suit their needs, whether they prefer detailed explanations or terse fragments. This flexibility allows developers and designers to communicate in a way that best fits their workflow, enhancing productivity and clarity.
In addition to modes, Caveman Help outlines several skills that can be utilized within the Caveman framework. These include commands for generating concise commit messages, providing one-line pull request comments, and compressing Markdown files into more efficient prose. This integration of skills allows users to streamline their development processes, making it an invaluable resource for anyone working in a collaborative coding environment.
Overall, Caveman Help is aimed at developers and designers who utilize the Caveman command interface and require a quick, efficient way to reference commands and modes. Its one-shot display format ensures that users can access the information they need without disrupting their current workflow, making it a practical addition to any developer's toolkit.
When to use it
Use this skill when you need a quick reference for Caveman commands and modes without altering your current session.
When not to use it
This skill is not suitable for users who require persistent changes or detailed documentation, as it only provides a temporary display of information.
What you can build with it
Quick Command Lookup
When you forget a specific command in Caveman, use `/caveman-help` to instantly recall it.
Adjusting Output Style
If you need to switch to a more concise output, simply invoke the appropriate mode before running your commands.
Streamlining Development Workflows
Use Caveman Help to quickly access skills like `/caveman-commit` to enhance your commit message efficiency.
How to install Caveman Help
View source1. Install with the skills CLI
npx skills add juliusbrussee/caveman/caveman-help --agent claude-code2. Or install it manually
Download the skill folder and drop it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or .claude/skills/ to scope it to one repo. Restart Claude Code so it picks up the new skill.
Anthropic's agentic coding CLI, and the reference implementation of Agent Skills. Drop a skill folder into ~/.claude/skills and Claude Code loads it automatically whenever a task matches the skill's description. Claude Code docs
Inside SKILL.md
Written by juliusbrusseeCaveman Help
Display this reference card when invoked. One-shot — do NOT change mode, write flag files, or persist anything. Output in caveman style.
Modes
| Mode | Trigger | What change |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | /caveman lite | Drop filler. Keep sentence structure. |
| Full | /caveman | Drop articles, filler, pleasantries, hedging. Fragments OK. Default. |
| Ultra | /caveman ultra | Extreme compression. Bare fragments. Tables over prose. |
| Wenyan-Lite | /caveman wenyan-lite | Classical Chinese style, light compression. |
| Wenyan-Full | /caveman wenyan | Full 文言文. Maximum classical terseness. |
| Wenyan-Ultra | /caveman wenyan-ultra | Extreme. Ancient scholar on a budget. |
Mode stick until changed or session end.
Skills
| Skill | Trigger | What it do |
|---|---|---|
| caveman-commit | /caveman-commit | Terse commit messages. Conventional Commits. ≤50 char subject. |
| caveman-review | /caveman-review | One-line PR comments: L42: bug: user null. Add guard. |
| caveman-compress | /caveman-compress <file> | Compress .md files to caveman prose. Saves ~46% input tokens. |
| caveman-help | /caveman-help | This card. |
Deactivate
Say "stop caveman" or "normal mode". Resume anytime with /caveman.
Language
Keep user's language by default. User write Portuguese → reply Portuguese caveman. Compress the style, not the language. Technical terms, code, commands, commit types, and exact error strings stay verbatim unless user ask for translation.
Configure Default Mode
Default mode = full. Change it:
Environment variable (highest priority):
export CAVEMAN_DEFAULT_MODE=ultra
Config file (~/.config/caveman/config.json macOS/Linux, %APPDATA%\caveman\config.json Windows):
{ "defaultMode": "lite" }
Set "off" to disable auto-activation on session start. User can still activate manually with /caveman.
Resolution: env var > config file > full.
More
Full docs: https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman
Frequently asked questions about Caveman Help
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