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step-back

Use when a task keeps growing through patches: repeated fixes, workarounds, compatibility shims, or a new path built beside an old one. Pause, reassess the direction, and propose a cleaner alternative before continuing.

src/skills/step-back/SKILL.md

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# Step Back

Momentum is a poor architect. Each patch on top of existing code feels
like the safe, local choice, but together they pile up into complexity no
one would have designed on purpose. When fixes start stacking, stop and
look at the whole picture: is the goal still the same, and if you were
starting fresh with what you know now, would you build it this way?

If the answer is no, don't push through quietly. Tell the user in a few
lines: where things are heading, why that's drifting, the cleaner
alternative, and what you recommend. Then let them decide. If the answer
is yes, carry on with confidence. The goal is to catch the wrong turn
early, not to second-guess every step.