Prompt engineering rule: prefer less everywhere unless an eval proves otherwise

andreisavu · x · 2026-10-07

Nate Berkopec shares a minimalist engineering principle: unless you have an eval showing otherwise, prefer less — less in your prompt, less in your skills, less documentation, fewer lines of code, less everything.

The underlying logic: without eval-backed evidence, added context and complexity are liabilities by default. Anything you add to a prompt, agent skill, or codebase must first prove its value through evaluation before it earns its place.

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Prompt engineering rule: prefer less everywhere unless an eval proves otherwise

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