Reduce Claude Code output tokens by up to 65% using compressed communication modes, ultra-terse commit messages, one-line code reviews, and token-saving subagents for investigation, building, and review — all while preserving technical accuracy.
Based on adoption, maintenance, documentation, and repository signals. Not a security audit or endorsement.
Generate terse caveman-style commit message
Drop the always-on caveman activation rule into the current repo for every IDE agent
One-line code review comments
Real session token usage + lifetime savings + USD. Tweetable line via --share.
Switch caveman intensity level (lite/full/ultra/wenyan)
Surgical 1-2 file edit. Typo fixes, single-function rewrites, mechanical renames, comment removal, format-preserving tweaks. Hard refuses 3+ file scope. Returns caveman diff receipt. Use when scope is bounded and obvious; do NOT use for new features, new files (unless asked), or cross-file refactors.
Read-only code locator. Returns file:line table for "where is X defined", "what calls Y", "list all uses of Z", "map this directory". Output is caveman-compressed so the main thread eats ~60% fewer tokens than vanilla Explore. Refuses to suggest fixes.
Diff/branch/file reviewer. One line per finding, severity-tagged, no praise, no scope creep. Output format `path:line: <emoji> <severity>: <problem>. <fix>.` Use for "review this PR", "review my diff", "audit this file". Skips formatting nits unless they change meaning.
Decision guide for delegating to caveman-style subagents. Tells the main thread WHEN to spawn `cavecrew-investigator` (locate code), `cavecrew-builder` (1-2 file edit), or `cavecrew-reviewer` (diff review) instead of doing the work inline or using vanilla `Explore`. Subagent output is caveman-compressed so the tool-result injected back into main context is ~60% smaller — main context lasts longer across long sessions. Trigger: "delegate to subagent", "use cavecrew", "spawn investigator/builder/reviewer", "save context", "compressed agent output".
Ultra-compressed commit message generator. Cuts noise from commit messages while preserving intent and reasoning. Conventional Commits format. Subject ≤50 chars, body only when "why" isn't obvious. Use when user says "write a commit", "commit message", "generate commit", "/commit", or invokes /caveman-commit. Auto-triggers when staging changes.
Compress natural language memory files (CLAUDE.md, todos, preferences) into caveman format to save input tokens. Preserves all technical substance, code, URLs, and structure. Compressed version overwrites the original file. Human-readable backup saved as FILE.original.md. Trigger: /caveman-compress FILEPATH or "compress memory file"
Quick-reference card for all caveman modes, skills, and commands. One-shot display, not a persistent mode. Trigger: /caveman-help, "caveman help", "what caveman commands", "how do I use caveman".
Ultra-compressed code review comments. Cuts noise from PR feedback while preserving the actionable signal. Each comment is one line: location, problem, fix. Use when user says "review this PR", "code review", "review the diff", "/review", or invokes /caveman-review. Auto-triggers when reviewing pull requests.
Uses power tools
Uses Bash, Write, or Edit tools
npx claudepluginhub juliusbrussee/caveman --plugin caveman
why use many token when few do trick
Make your AI coding agent talk like a caveman.
Same answers, 65% fewer output tokens. Brain still big. Mouth small.
See it · Install · Levels · What you get · Benchmarks · Ecosystem · Caveman 2
Caveman is a skill/plugin for Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, Copilot, and 30+ other agents. Install once. Agent drops the filler and answers in tight caveman-speak, keeping code, commands, and errors byte-for-byte exact. You save output tokens on every reply, forever.
| 🗣️ Normal agent — 69 tokens | |
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Same fix. Third of the words. Nothing technical lost.
┌────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ output tokens saved █████████ 65% │
│ input tokens saved ░░░░░░░░░ 0% │
│ technical accuracy █████████ 100% │
│ vibes █████████ OOG │
└────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Caveman no make brain smaller. Caveman make mouth smaller. Shrinks what the agent says, not what it knows.
One command. Finds every agent on your machine. Installs for each.
# macOS · Linux · WSL · Git Bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/main/install.sh | bash
# Windows · PowerShell 5.1+
irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/main/install.ps1 | iex
~30 seconds. Needs Node ≥18. Skips agents you no have. Safe to re-run.
[!TIP] Turn it on: type
/cavemanor say "talk like caveman". Turn it off: say "normal mode". On Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini it's already on from message one. No command needed.
Every agent has its own path (plugin, extension, rule file, or npx skills add). The full per-agent matrix, all flags, dry-run, and uninstall live in INSTALL.md. A few common ones:
# Claude Code plugin
claude plugin marketplace add JuliusBrussee/caveman && claude plugin install caveman@caveman
# Gemini CLI extension
gemini extensions install https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman
# Cursor / Windsurf / Cline / Codex / 30+ more, via the skills registry
npx skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman -a cursor
Install broke? Open your agent in this repo and say: "Read CLAUDE.md and INSTALL.md, install caveman for me." Agent read repo, agent fix own brain. Snake eat tail.
Six levels. Switch anytime with /caveman <level>. Level sticks until you change it or the session ends.
juliusbrussee/caveman — caveman
超圧縮コミュニケーションモード。原始人のように話してトークン使用量を約75%削減しつつ、技術的正確性は完全に維持。日本語に最適化。コミット生成・PRレビュー・メモリ圧縮・stats可視化サブスキル同梱。SessionStart/UserPromptSubmit フックでモード追跡・毎ターン補強・ドリフト防止・/genshijin-stats でセッション削減量+USD推定表示。MCP middleware (genshijin-shrink) でMCPツール記述も圧縮。スラッシュコマンド /genshijin /genshijin-commit /genshijin-review /genshijin-stats 付属。Cursor/Windsurf/Cline/Copilot 等マルチエージェント対応。3 cavecrew相当 subagent (investigator/builder/reviewer) で長セッションコンテキスト持続。
Verdict-first communication mode. Cuts output tokens while keeping full technical accuracy.
Brief prose. Short common words. Trust context. State what matters. Omit what reader can infer.
Honey (I Shrunk the AI) — three reflexive levers that cut agent token cost: less code (YAGNI/stdlib-first), less prose, and denser agent-to-agent handoffs (ESON/compact-JSON). Plus on-demand satellites (review, eco, gain, compress) and a hive of read-only subagents that return compressed handoffs. Auto-intensity lite/full/ultra; correctness and safety-critical paths stay exact.
โหมดสื่อสารแบบกระชับสำหรับภาษาไทย+อังกฤษ ลด output token ~60-75% โดยพูดไทยสั้นๆ แต่ยังถูกต้องทาง technical (Pordee — terse Thai+English mode for Claude Code, cuts ~60-75% of output tokens while keeping full technical accuracy.)
juliusbrussee/caveman — caveman
Cavekit — compressed spec-driven dev. Full loop (grill → spec → research → review → build) over one SPEC.md file: three core commands + four reach-for. Caveman encoding. Bug-to-spec backprop.
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