caveman-output-style

Caveman Output Style for Claude Code

Better consistency and adherence than CLAUDE.md or skills. Always-on formatting. Less fluff, same technical signal.

quick start

One command. Done.

Then: /config → Output Style → Caveman.

Want it always on? Add this to ~/.claude/settings.json:

Why use caveman?

Real token count will vary. Table shows rough reduction only. Pattern is the same: less fluff out -> less output spend.

Same answer, less bla. Shorter replies every turn, lower token bill and less energy wasted on filler.

Use when:

- You keep typing "be concise"
- You want the same terse format on every turn
- You want less output spend without losing technical substance

Backed by research: Brevity Constraints Reverse Performance Hierarchies in Language Models. Shorter answer keeps quality, and sometimes even improves it.

why output style, not other things

Claude Code official documentation show output styles change how Claude responds, not what Claude knows.

Output styles are the perfect matching tool for achieving "talk short on every turn" goal:

All methods add roughly the same amount of input tokens. Output styles win on adherence and consistency, not input cost.

how it works

Output styles inject a dedicated section into Claude Code's system prompt:

This section is:
- Dedicated — purpose-built for response formatting
- System prompt level — not buried in user messages like CLAUDE.md
- Always on — no model discretion, no invocation needed
- Survives long threads — style persists without dilution

available styles

Caveman (default)

Standard terse mode. Drop articles, filler, pleasantries, hedging. Fragments OK.

Caveman Ultra

Maximum terseness. Telegraphic fragments. Symbols over words. Abbreviated prose.
Use when you want the most aggressive…