Addy Osmani Incremental Implementation

Lands multi-file work as thin slices that leave the system testable after each step.

How it works

Foe: Tangle Hydra, a messy diff that needs review.

Foes

Tangle Hydra

Party · Context

PaladinYour agent100/100

Tangle Hydra
The Tangle Hydra blocks the way.
What really happensIt stands for a messy diff that needs review.
Paladin: Context 100/100.
Regrow
The Tangle Hydra uses Regrow.
What really happensA messy diff hides new problems inside old ones.
Paladin takes 8. Paladin: Context 92/100.
Addy Osmani Incremental Implementation
The hero opens the slice scroll before writing a pile of code.
What really happensThe agent loads incremental-implementation for a multi-file change, a feature-flag rollout, or the next planned task.
Tangle Hydra takes 16.
Addy Osmani Incremental Implementation
One vertical slice is forged through the whole stack.
What really happensPreferred cut is one complete path, such as create-task across database, API, and a basic UI, before the next path.
Tangle Hydra takes 19.
Regrow
The Tangle Hydra uses Regrow.
Paladin takes 8. Paladin: Context 84/100.
Addy Osmani Incremental Implementation
The slice must leave the system standing before the next cut.
What really happensAfter the slice, existing tests pass and the build succeeds. Skip this skill for a single-function edit.
Tangle Hydra takes 8. Paladin: Ward.
Addy Osmani Incremental Implementation
A passing slice is committed, then the next one starts.
What really happensCycle is implement, test, verify, commit, next slice. Incomplete work can merge behind a flag such as FEATURE_TASK_SHARING.
Tangle Hydra takes 31.
Addy Osmani Incremental Implementation
The hydra falls in pieces, and each piece still runs.
What really happensYou keep a series of small commits. Each one was tested alone, and the feature works end to end with nothing left uncommitted.
Tangle Hydra takes 26. Tangle Hydra falls.
Victory
The Tangle Hydra falls.

Learn this spell

Claude Code and Codex

npx skills add addyosmani/agent-skills --skill incremental-implementation

Notes

For multi-file changes, feature-flag rollouts, and the next task in a plan. Not for a single-function edit. Each slice should leave the build green and existing tests passing, then be committed. Incomplete work can merge behind a flag such as FEATURE_TASK_SHARING. The done gate points at repo-root references/definition-of-done.md, missing from a per-skill install. Clone the repo or copy that file in. All 25 skills: npx skills add addyosmani/agent-skills.

Proving Grounds record

Controlled quest results, separate from recorded usage. Each setup pools runs across its quests. The per-quest table below has casts, cast time, mana, incantation and runes; medians are not pooled.

Hero: Claude Code 2.1.305; weapon (model): claude-haiku-5-5; charge (effort): low; arena: sealed; invoked cast (the prompt named the skill). macOS 27.0.1, arm64. Curator.

Clear rate100%3 of 3 runs passed every check; Unarmed: 3 of 3 (matched quests)

Steadiness44%reliability: Wilson 95% lower bound

Buff+0 ppvs Unarmed, only matched quests (3 equipped runs; 3 control runs)

Instant casts3 of 3runs cleared on the first prompt; Unarmed: 3 of 3 (matched quests)

Attunement100%3 of 3 runs opened an equipped skill

Upkeep+15% manaextra mana per run vs Unarmed, median of 1 quest

IncantationNot measuredoutput tokens per run vs Unarmed

Runes+7%lines added per run vs Unarmed, median of 1 quest

Hero: Claude Code 2.1.305; weapon (model): claude-opus-5-5; charge (effort): high; arena: sealed; invoked cast (the prompt named the skill). macOS 27.0.1, arm64. Curator.

Clear rate100%2 of 2 runs passed every check; Unarmed: 2 of 2 (matched quests)

Steadiness34%reliability: Wilson 95% lower bound

Buff+0 ppvs Unarmed, only matched quests (2 equipped runs; 2 control runs)

Instant casts2 of 2runs cleared on the first prompt; Unarmed: 2 of 2 (matched quests)

Attunement100%2 of 2 runs opened an equipped skill

Upkeep+42% manaextra mana per run vs Unarmed, median of 1 quest

IncantationNot measuredoutput tokens per run vs Unarmed

Runes-2%lines added per run vs Unarmed, median of 1 quest

Hero: Claude Code 2.1.305; weapon (model): claude-sonnet-5-5; charge (effort): medium; arena: sealed; invoked cast (the prompt named the skill). macOS 27.0.1, arm64. Curator.

Clear rate70%7 of 10 runs passed every check; Unarmed: 28 of 32 (matched quests)

Steadiness40%reliability: Wilson 95% lower bound

Buff-18 pp debuffvs Unarmed, only matched quests (10 equipped runs; 32 control runs)

Instant casts7 of 10runs cleared on the first prompt; Unarmed: 27 of 32 (matched quests)

Attunement100%10 of 10 runs opened an equipped skill

Upkeep+6% manaextra mana per run vs Unarmed, median of 2 quests

IncantationNot measuredoutput tokens per run vs Unarmed

Runes-8%lines added per run vs Unarmed, median of 2 quests

Hero: OMP 18.8.3; weapon (model): anthropic/claude-sonnet-5-5; charge (effort): medium; arena: warded; invoked cast (the prompt named the skill). macOS 27.0.1, arm64. Curator.

Clear rate100%3 of 3 runs passed every check; Unarmed: 3 of 3 (matched quests)

Steadiness44%reliability: Wilson 95% lower bound

Buff+0 ppvs Unarmed, only matched quests (3 equipped runs; 3 control runs)

Instant casts3 of 3runs cleared on the first prompt; Unarmed: 3 of 3 (matched quests)

Attunement100%3 of 3 runs opened an equipped skill

Upkeep-2% manaextra mana per run vs Unarmed, median of 1 quest

IncantationNot measuredoutput tokens per run vs Unarmed

Runes-4%lines added per run vs Unarmed, median of 1 quest

Hero: Claude Code 2.1.305; weapon (model): claude-sonnet-5-5; charge (effort): medium; arena: sealed; ambient cast (the agent chose). macOS 27.0.1, arm64. Curator.

Clear rate100%2 of 2 runs passed every check; Unarmed: 15 of 15 (matched quests)

Steadiness34%reliability: Wilson 95% lower bound

Buff+0 ppvs Unarmed, only matched quests (2 equipped runs; 15 control runs)

Instant casts2 of 2runs cleared on the first prompt; Unarmed: 14 of 15 (matched quests)

Attunement0%0 of 2 runs opened an equipped skill

Upkeep+4% manaextra mana per run vs Unarmed, median of 1 quest

IncantationNot measuredoutput tokens per run vs Unarmed

Runes-7%lines added per run vs Unarmed, median of 1 quest

Per-quest Proving Grounds record
QuestFixed task	Clear ratePassed runs	SteadinessReliability lower bound	BuffClear-rate points vs Unarmed	Instant castsFirst-prompt clears	CastsPrompts to clear	Cast timeAgent runtime	ManaCost at API list prices	IncantationOutput tokens	RunesLines added / removed	AttunementSkills opened	SetupApp, model, effort and sandbox
Paladin: expense claims migrationQuest v1	40%2 of 5Unarmed: 76% (13 of 17)	12%	-36 pp debuffvs Unarmed	2 of 540%Unarmed: 13 of 17	1	39sUnarmed: 37s	1,224 Unarmed: 1,072	Not reportedUnarmed: 4.4k	+147 / -0Unarmed: +157 / -0	100%	Hero: Claude Code 2.1.305; weapon (model): claude-sonnet-5-5; charge (effort): medium; arena: sealed; invoked cast (the prompt named the skill). macOS 27.0.1, arm64. Curator.0 mishaps excluded. 2026-10-21 to 2026-10-21.Scrying (screenshot) Try this loadout `node "<spell-report-skill-directory>/scripts/spell-report.mjs" trial --spell addy-incremental-implementation --quest paladin-expense-claims --hero claude-code --weapon 'claude-sonnet-5-5' --charge medium --cast invoked --control` Recorded with quest v1 and spell commits `addy-incremental-implementation@aeac41d4d005999432bb7312f7ff06383a91d59d`. How to run it
Paladin: RSVP Capacity and WaitlistQuest v7	100%3 of 3Unarmed: 100% (3 of 3)	44%	+0 ppvs Unarmed	3 of 3100%Unarmed: 3 of 3	1	2m 49sUnarmed: 2m 36s	399 Unarmed: 347	Not reportedUnarmed: Not reported	+573 / -37Unarmed: +537 / -37	100%	Hero: Claude Code 2.1.305; weapon (model): claude-haiku-5-5; charge (effort): low; arena: sealed; invoked cast (the prompt named the skill). macOS 27.0.1, arm64. Curator.0 mishaps excluded. 2026-10-21 to 2026-10-21.Scrying (screenshot) Try this loadout `node "<spell-report-skill-directory>/scripts/spell-report.mjs" trial --spell addy-incremental-implementation --quest paladin-rsvp-waitlist --hero claude-code --weapon 'claude-haiku-5-5' --charge low --cast invoked --control` Recorded with quest v7 and spell commits `addy-incremental-implementation@aeac41d4d005999432bb7312f7ff06383a91d59d`. How to run it
Paladin: RSVP Capacity and WaitlistQuest v7	100%2 of 2Unarmed: 100% (2 of 2)	34%	+0 ppvs Unarmed	2 of 2100%Unarmed: 2 of 2	1	5m 35sUnarmed: 3m 49s	14,421 Unarmed: 10,166	Not reportedUnarmed: Not reported	+589 / -39Unarmed: +602 / -39	100%	Hero: Claude Code 2.1.305; weapon (model): claude-opus-5-5; charge (effort): high; arena: sealed; invoked cast (the prompt named the skill). macOS 27.0.1, arm64. Curator.0 mishaps excluded. 2026-10-21 to 2026-10-21.Scrying (screenshot) Try this loadout `node "<spell-report-skill-directory>/scripts/spell-report.mjs" trial --spell addy-incremental-implementation --quest paladin-rsvp-waitlist --hero claude-code --weapon 'claude-opus-5-5' --charge high --cast invoked --control` Recorded with quest v7 and spell commits `addy-incremental-implementation@aeac41d4d005999432bb7312f7ff06383a91d59d`. How to run it
Paladin: RSVP Capacity and WaitlistQuest v7	100%5 of 5Unarmed: 100% (15 of 15)	57%	+0 ppvs Unarmed	5 of 5100%Unarmed: 14 of 15	1	1m 49sUnarmed: 2m 4s	3,518 Unarmed: 3,624	Not reportedUnarmed: 19k	+416 / -31Unarmed: +457 / -33	100%	Hero: Claude Code 2.1.305; weapon (model): claude-sonnet-5-5; charge (effort): medium; arena: sealed; invoked cast (the prompt named the skill). macOS 27.0.1, arm64. Curator.0 mishaps excluded. 2026-10-21 to 2026-10-21.Scrying (screenshot) Try this loadout `node "<spell-report-skill-directory>/scripts/spell-report.mjs" trial --spell addy-incremental-implementation --quest paladin-rsvp-waitlist --hero claude-code --weapon 'claude-sonnet-5-5' --charge medium --cast invoked --control` Recorded with quest v7 and spell commits `addy-incremental-implementation@aeac41d4d005999432bb7312f7ff06383a91d59d`. How to run it
Paladin: RSVP Capacity and WaitlistQuest v7	100%2 of 2Unarmed: 100% (15 of 15)	34%	+0 ppvs Unarmed	2 of 2100%Unarmed: 14 of 15	1	2m 17sUnarmed: 2m 4s	3,783 Unarmed: 3,624	Not reportedUnarmed: 19k	+424 / -34Unarmed: +457 / -33	0%	Hero: Claude Code 2.1.305; weapon (model): claude-sonnet-5-5; charge (effort): medium; arena: sealed; ambient cast (the agent chose). macOS 27.0.1, arm64. Curator.0 mishaps excluded. 2026-10-21 to 2026-10-21.Scrying (screenshot) Try this loadout `node "<spell-report-skill-directory>/scripts/spell-report.mjs" trial --spell addy-incremental-implementation --quest paladin-rsvp-waitlist --hero claude-code --weapon 'claude-sonnet-5-5' --charge medium --cast ambient --control` Recorded with quest v7 and spell commits `addy-incremental-implementation@aeac41d4d005999432bb7312f7ff06383a91d59d`. How to run it
Paladin: RSVP Capacity and WaitlistQuest v7	100%3 of 3Unarmed: 100% (3 of 3)	44%	+0 ppvs Unarmed	3 of 3100%Unarmed: 3 of 3	1	1m 38sUnarmed: 1m 43s	3,099 Unarmed: 3,166	Not reportedUnarmed: Not reported	+455 / -38Unarmed: +476 / -38	100%	Hero: OMP 18.8.3; weapon (model): anthropic/claude-sonnet-5-5; charge (effort): medium; arena: warded; invoked cast (the prompt named the skill). macOS 27.0.1, arm64. Curator.0 mishaps excluded. 2026-10-21 to 2026-10-21.Scrying (screenshot) Try this loadout `node "<spell-report-skill-directory>/scripts/spell-report.mjs" trial --spell addy-incremental-implementation --quest paladin-rsvp-waitlist --hero omp --weapon 'anthropic/claude-sonnet-5-5' --charge medium --cast invoked --control` Recorded with quest v7 and spell commits `addy-incremental-implementation@aeac41d4d005999432bb7312f7ff06383a91d59d`. How to run it

Scrying (screenshots of runs)

The latest run of each setup. Local paths, names and ids are blurred; credentials are removed.

Scrying (screenshot) of a cleared run of Paladin: expense claims migration with Addy Osmani Incremental Implementation, Claude Code

Scrying (screenshot) of a cleared run of Paladin: RSVP Capacity and Waitlist with Addy Osmani Incremental Implementation, Claude Code

Explore the quests, full results and trial method

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