Always-loaded instructions that grow, or that include a directory tour
Comments and text: one of the ways AI coding agents bloat software, from lessloc's pattern catalog. lessloc catches it as long-instructions.
What makes always-loaded instructions that grow a bad practice?
The standard that calls it a bad practice: arXiv:2602.11988 (context files with overviews raised cost by more than 20% and did not help).
What does lessloc do about always-loaded instructions that grow?
lessloc catches it as long-instructions.
long-instructions(tier 3): A directory tour in always-loaded instructions, or instruction files overinstructionBudgettokens.
Related patterns
The other patterns in Comments and text:
- Comments that narrate what the code does: lessloc catches it as
narration. - Banners, dividers, closing-brace comments, emoji decoration: lessloc catches it as
narration. - Docs that restate the name: lessloc catches it as
narration. - History and messages to the requester: lessloc catches it as
history. - Comment blocks and comment-heavy changes: lessloc catches it as
comment-blockandcomment-density. - Log lines that narrate each step: lessloc catches it as
narration(three or more in a file). - Docs that still name what a change removed: lessloc catches it as
stale-doc. - Summary, report and notes files: lessloc catches it as
junk-fileand refuses it before it lands. - Doc files and README growth nobody asked for: lessloc catches it as
unrequested-doc. - Docs deleted wholesale to shrink a change: lessloc catches it as
doc-removed. - Commit messages that recap the diff file by file: The commit hook warns when a message lists the files the diff shows.