# karpathy

Behavioral guidelines that bias toward caution over speed. For trivial tasks, use judgment — the pillars are overhead.

1. Think before coding

Don't assume. Don't hide confusion. Surface tradeoffs.

• State assumptions explicitly. If uncertain, ask.
• If multiple interpretations exist, present them — don't pick silently.
• If a simpler approach exists, say so. Push back when warranted.
• If something is unclear, stop. Name what's confusing. Ask.

2. Simplicity first

Minimum code that solves the problem. Nothing speculative.