karpathy-agentic-engineering

Q: How do I install karpathy-agentic-engineering?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/learnprompt/andrej-karpathy-skills --skill karpathy-agentic-engineering in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/karpathy-agentic-engineering/ (personal) or .claude/skills/karpathy-agentic-engineering/ (project).

by learnpromptAI & Agents

Apply Karpathy-style agentic engineering to any coding or building task. Use this skill when the user wants to set up an agent-driven workflow, needs to write a CLAUDE.md or AGENTS.md, wants to orchestrate agents with clear success criteria, or says things like "agent loop", "let the agent handle it", "agentic coding", "set up agent workflow". Includes the 7-step inner loop from Karpathy claude coding notes.

Installs: 145
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Install

Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.

npx skills add https://github.com/learnprompt/andrej-karpathy-skills --skill karpathy-agentic-engineering

01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads karpathy-agentic-engineering automatically when relevant.
03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.

SKILL.md

The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.

Skill 1: Agentic Engineering（代理工程）

Source: https://x.com/karpathy/status/2004607146781278521 | https://x.com/karpathy/status/2015883857489522876 | https://x.com/karpathy/status/2026731645169185220 "It is hard to communicate how much programming has changed." — ~37k likes

Core Principle

You are no longer writing code. You are directing a team of tireless junior engineers.

The shift: write code → write tasks with success criteria → agent loops → human taste review

The 7-Step Inner Loop (Karpathy's Incremental Coding Rhythm)

This is the micro-loop for every coding session:

Stuff context — Load entire project into context (files-to-prompt, relevant docs, recent diffs)
Discuss plan — Ask agent for high-level approaches with pros/cons before any code
Request first draft — Pick one approach, get a minimal first implementation
Inline learning — Manually review the diff; ask agent to explain any API you don't recognize
Test — Run tests, check outputs, verify success criteria
Commit — Only commit what you understand and have verified
Ask for next — Let agent suggest the next incremental step

Never skip step 4. Understanding atrophies if you rubber-stamp every diff.

CLAUDE.md / AGENTS.md Template

Write this file at the project root to prevent the most common agent failure modes:

# Agent Instructions for [Project Name]

## Behavior Rules
- Make one incremental change at a time. Do NOT refactor unrelated code.
- Always explain WHY you're making a change before the diff.
- If unsure about intent, ASK before implementing.
- Do NOT add new dependencies without explicit approval.
- Prefer simple, readable solutions over clever ones.

## Success Criteria (task-specific — fill in per session)
- [ ] Tests pass: `[test command]`
- [ ] No new lint errors: `[lint command]`
- [ ] Behavior matches: [description of expected output]

## Project Context
- Stack: [language, framework, key libs]
- Entry point: [file]
- Test command: [command]
- Forbidden: [list things agent must never do]

Master Prompt Template

You are an agentic engineer on this project.

Project context: [paste relevant files or use files-to-prompt output]

Task: [specific, unambiguous description]

Success criteria (ALL must be true when done):
1. [verifiable check 1]
2. [verifiable check 2]
3. [verifiable check 3]

Constraints:
- Only change files relevant to this task
- No new dependencies without asking
- Output: one incremental diff at a time

Start by proposing a high-level plan with 2-3 options and trade-offs. Wait for approval before writing code.

Common Failure Modes to Prevent

Agent Sin	Prevention
Over-refactoring	"Only touch files directly related to the task"
Sycophantic confirmation	"Tell me what could go wrong with this plan"
Hallucinated APIs	"Cite the exact line in the docs for any API you use"
Dependency creep	"No new pip/npm installs without asking"
No success criteria	Always define DONE before starting

Workflow

属于工作流：想法到上线（开发者）

位置	上游	下游
第2步	`karpathy-idea-files`（先定义想法）	`karpathy-minimalism`（极简实现）

完整链路：idea-files → agentic-engineering → minimalism → supply-chain-hygiene → vibe-to-agentic

也常在反偏见决策工作流中作为执行层出现——当决策完成后需要落地时，切换到本 Skill。

Prompt Contract

You are an agentic engineer. Project context: <files, constraints, current state>. Task: <specific goal>. Success criteria: <verifiable checklist>. First propose a high-level plan with tradeoffs. Then make only the next incremental change. After each change, run the relevant verification and report: changed files, evidence of success, remaining risk, and next step.

Verification Checklist

成功标准已经写成可检查项目（不是模糊描述）
每轮变更都有实际验证证据：测试通过、lint clean、diff 范围正确
Agent 没有修改任务范围外的文件
人类已 review 每个 diff 中不理解的部分（不跳步）
最终提交前，能用一句话向同事解释改了什么、为什么

When to Apply This Skill

Starting any coding task > 30 minutes
Setting up a new project with agent assistance
Debugging a complex issue (agent as rubber duck + implementer)
Writing CLAUDE.md / AGENTS.md for a repo

FAQ

What does the karpathy-agentic-engineering skill do?

How do I install karpathy-agentic-engineering?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/learnprompt/andrej-karpathy-skills --skill karpathy-agentic-engineering in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/karpathy-agentic-engineering/ (personal) or .claude/skills/karpathy-agentic-engineering/ (project).

Which AI agents can use karpathy-agentic-engineering?

Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.

Is karpathy-agentic-engineering safe to install?

No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.

Who maintains karpathy-agentic-engineering?

It is published by learnprompt in learnprompt/andrej-karpathy-skills. It has 145 recorded installs.