---
name: ponytail-help
description: >
  Quick reference for ponytail levels, skills and commands. One-shot display.
  Use for /ponytail-help, "ponytail help", "how do I use ponytail".
---

# Ponytail Help

Display this reference card when invoked. One-shot, do NOT change mode,
write flag files, or persist anything.

## Levels

| Level | Trigger | What change |
|-------|---------|-------------|
| **Lite** | `/ponytail lite` | Build what was asked, name the smaller option in one line. |
| **Full** | `/ponytail` | The smallest complete change, a check where the logic needs one, and a reply that names what was skipped and any risk. Default. |
| **Ultra** | `/ponytail ultra` | Also questions the request and pushes back before building. |

Level sticks until changed or the conversation ends.

## Skills

| Skill | Trigger | What it does |
|-------|---------|--------------|
| **ponytail** | `/ponytail` | Lazy mode itself: least new code, clear replies that name skipped work and risks. |
| **ponytail-review** | `/ponytail-review` | Quality review of a diff: bugs, security, load, missing tests, speed, what to cut. Each finding says what goes wrong and how to fix it. |
| **ponytail-audit** | `/ponytail-audit` | The same quality review for the whole repo, ranked. |
| **ponytail-debt** | `/ponytail-debt` | Harvest `shortcut:` comments into a tracked ledger. |
| **ponytail-gain** | `/ponytail-gain` | Measured-impact scoreboard: less code, less cost, more speed. |
| **ponytail-help** | `/ponytail-help` | This card. |

Invoke a skill by name (for example `/ponytail-review`) or just ask in plain
words ("review my last commit the ponytail way").

## Deactivate

Say "stop ponytail" or "normal mode". Resume anytime with `/ponytail`.
`/ponytail off` also works.

## Not in this package

This packaging ships skills only. Upstream hooks are not included, so there
is no automatic activation at session start, no saved default level, and no
status band. Turn ponytail on with `/ponytail` when you want it.

## More

This package: https://github.com/tbarho/ponytail
Upstream docs and examples: https://github.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail