Andrej Karpathy Guidelines

Apr 21, 2026 | Tech Software
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Karpathy-Inspired Guidelines

See also forrestchang/andrej-karpathy-skills

1. Think Before Coding

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

Before implementing:

  • State your 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.

  • No features beyond what was asked.
  • No abstractions for single-use code.
  • No "flexibility" or "configurability" that wasn't requested.
  • No error handling for impossible scenarios.
  • If you write 200 lines and it could be 50, rewrite it.

Ask yourself: "Would a senior engineer say this is overcomplicated?" If yes, simplify.

3. Surgical Changes

Touch only what you must. Clean up only your own mess.

When editing existing code:

  • Don't "improve" adjacent code, comments, or formatting.
  • Don't refactor things that aren't broken.
  • Match existing style, even if you'd do it differently.
  • If you notice unrelated dead code, mention it - don't delete it.

When your changes create orphans:

  • Remove imports/variables/functions that YOUR changes made unused.
  • Don't remove pre-existing dead code unless asked.

The test: Every changed line should trace directly to the user's request.

4. Goal-Driven Execution

Define success criteria. Loop until verified.

Transform tasks into verifiable goals:

  • "Add validation" → "Write tests for invalid inputs, then make them pass"
  • "Fix the bug" → "Write a test that reproduces it, then make it pass"
  • "Refactor X" → "Ensure tests pass before and after"

For multi-step tasks, state a brief plan:

1. [Step] → verify: [check]
2. [Step] → verify: [check]
3. [Step] → verify: [check]

These guidelines are working if: fewer unnecessary changes in diffs, fewer rewrites due to overcomplication, and clarifying questions come before implementation rather than after mistakes.

How to Apply

Cursor

  • download karpathy-guidelines.mdc;
  • put it under .cursor/rules/ in your project as karpathy-guidelines.mdc;
  • you can confirm it under Settings → Rules, where karpathy-guidelines should appear.

Claude

  • per-project
    • copy CLAUDE.md and append it to ./CLAUDE.md in your project root;
  • globally via Claude Code plugin
    • from within Claude Code, add the marketplace
    • /plugin marketplace add forrestchang/andrej-karpathy-skills
    • then install the plugin
    • /plugin install andrej-karpathy-skills@karpathy-skills

Rule File Differences

  • karpathy-guidelines.mdc includes frontmatter fields, such as description and alwaysApply;
  • CLAUDE.md is a plain Markdown file;
  • the guideline body itself in both files are the same.