Ponytail for VS Code

A VS Code extension that injects coding instructions into GitHub Copilot. No configuration needed — install it, type @ponytail once, and go.

What It Does

Ponytail makes Copilot behave like a practical developer — efficient, not careless. It enforces:

• The Ladder — stop at the first rung that solves the problem (stdlib → platform → dependency → one-liner → minimal code)
• No unrequested abstractions — deletion over addition, boring over clever
• Code-first output — explanation only when shorter than the code

Requirements

• VS Code 1.99+
• GitHub Copilot extension
• No Node.js or other dependencies needed — just install and use

Install

1. Open VS Code
2. Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X)
3. Search "Ponytail"
4. Click Install

That's it.

Quick Start

1. Open Copilot Chat (Ctrl+Shift+I)
2. Type @ponytail before your first message:

@ponytail fix the date parsing bug in utils.ts

3. That's all you need. Ponytail stays active for the rest of that chat — just type normally after the first message.

FAQ: Do I need to type @ponytail every time? No. You only call it once per chat window. After that, it stays selected automatically. If you open a new chat window, call it once again.

Changing Modes

Ponytail has three intensity levels. There are two ways to switch:

In chat (temporary, this conversation only)

Prefix your message with the mode name:

@ponytail ultra refactor this module
@ponytail lite add a button to the navbar

This only affects that specific message.

Via Command Palette (permanent, affects all chats)

Press Ctrl+Shift+P and run:

• Ponytail: Activate (Full) — full mode
• Ponytail: Switch to Lite — ladder + output rules only
• Ponytail: Switch to Ultra — maximum deletion, challenge everything
• Ponytail: Deactivate — turn off

Important: Changing the mode through the Command Palette updates your global default. This means every future @ponytail message in any chat window uses the new mode until you change it again. It persists across VS Code restarts.

Modes at a Glance

• lite — gentle guidance. Keeps the ladder and output rules, but leaves most other guidance as suggestions.
• full — balanced guidance. Applies the broader practical ruleset, including minimalism, deletion-first, and output rules.
• ultra — strict guidance. Pushes the rules further by challenging unnecessary work and favoring deletion or simplification.

Settings

You can change these in VS Code settings (Ctrl+,) → search "ponytail".

License

MIT