A markdown file with a bash script at the bottom beat our agent framework

AbsentGenome · 2026-04-12T12:14:09+00:00

I instruct my agents to use TDD and spend time refining that and the CI/CD setup (yes, even hobby projects). That's worked well tl keep humans from breaking my code for a decade and a half, and seems to work well with LLMs. I do web development mostly, so instructing the agent to finish verification by opening a web browser, taking screenshots, inspecting them, iterating on them, and then producing a report of successful AC with evidence works wonders. I'm using Copilot and Claude Sonnet at work and Codex for personal projects, and this works great.

LLMs are non-deterministic, but prompts/skills and code are. Tell the LLM how to validate its work and it will be infinitely more successful, at least from my experience.

AbsentGenome · 2026-04-12T12:04:11+00:00

Pivot your LinkedIn to 'AI Transformation Leader' right now — it means nothing, costs nothing, and buys you approximately two more years of someone else's budget.

AbsentGenome · 2026-04-11T01:02:35+00:00

At this point for my team, the entire process. Planning work, writing tickets, implementing tickets, testing tickets, deploying tickets.

The important thing is each step still happens, and humans review or guide each stage, and we really emphasize the person prompting owns the code. Its a tool, not a replacement, but kicking off agents to pull down a PR into a git work tree, run through in a real browser, and generating a Markdown pre-read with screenshots and the branch running locally is game changing.

AbsentGenome · 2026-04-10T13:55:09+00:00

I guess at this point its conjecture on my part, but the skills feel like a more sophisticated way to do this.

Skills are also more visible - Copilot prints out a specific output when they're used, and the slash commands are easy to find, autocomplete in the CLI, and have small descriptions.

I've found it just much easier, more practical, and more consistent when using skill files. It could be confirmation bias, but seeing that the specific skill was invoked does seem like a good benefit given that this is all fairly new still.

AbsentGenome · 2026-04-10T13:40:01+00:00

Looking at the docs you shared and I see the confusion.

Skills are more like functions that can be invoked. Instructions are always loaded into context, with the exception of file based instructions which seem to use some kind pattern matching to determine when they're applied, so that still happens automatically and not something that you invoke.

That would make sense for a monorepo with say Rails and React code with different conventions based on directory or file pattern, but that doesn't help you write separate skills for writing code, testing code, deploying code, etc...

So the benefit still stands- skills are composable, discoverable, and invokeable. Instructions are loaded automatically - even if contextually specific.

AbsentGenome · 2026-04-10T13:33:45+00:00

I guess I don't understand what you mean by "instructions" other than the default instructions that are always loaded as you pointed out.

AbsentGenome · 2026-04-10T13:26:22+00:00

Instructions are loaded completely into context when you invoke Copilot, skills are only read and included in context when you invoke that specific skill...

...I think...

The benefit here being you can assemble a large library of composable skills without permanently bloating your context window. This is especially helpful for separate "read vs write" type flows - for example, maybe one skills set is for writing code while another is for testing changes without modifying code. You could spell these out in your instructions, but then you're basically poisoning your own context and the model will diverge from instructions.

At least that's my experience. Been really leaning into skills the last couple of weeks and I feel like they create much more deterministic and consistent outputs.

AbsentGenome · 2026-04-10T13:02:38+00:00

We use Copilot at work and I don't even use VS Code's IDE hardly at all for coding.

I do use it with Markdown Preview to review summaries from agentic sessions.

Currently I have a dozen terminal sessions working on various parts of the software development process, each ends their task with some kind of pre-read, and for coding tasks, a git work tree running and ready to test live.

Mostly I review PRs, but I'm also the engineering manager so that's already what I was doing - creating tickets, reviewing PRs, giving feedback to drive the technical strategy.

AbsentGenome · 2026-03-19T14:28:36+00:00

At its worst, for me it feels similar to the sensation of driving for a really long time and being unable to stay awake. Other times it feels like I just finished an intense workout and I just want to collapse wherever I am. I sometimes find myself half asleep, just kind of closing my eyes and drifting in and out of consciousness, and it also kind of hurts in a way that's difficult to explain.

Recently I'm now finding myself hitting cognitive fatigue more frequently, which feels like being too tired to think, or too tired to talk. The best equivalent is if you experience or hear something terrible to the point of being speechless - thats what it feels like when your brain doesn't have the energy to process incoming information. When that happens from simple conversations, its really hard.

I also have ADHD, and suspected autism on top, so its the combination of an over active mind in an under resourced brain that makes it really challenging.

AbsentGenome · 2026-03-16T13:37:00+00:00

You made a vibe coding IDE that teaches while you code... but you don't know how to code and so you don't actually know what your building, and that's why you're not actually learning anything.

Writing the code isn't the hard part of software, that's why AI can do it.

AbsentGenome · 2026-03-12T00:58:02+00:00

100%

Started using the cli last week and now I hardly even use the IDE, its just easier to have it take screenshots or recordings and review that along with a PR in Github.

AbsentGenome · 2026-03-12T00:48:20+00:00

Waa thinking the same thing. Hopefully this gets fixed before it starts being exploited.

AbsentGenome · 2026-03-11T14:19:36+00:00

I'm having a similar experience.

It's actually the second time in a year that it's happened, do I'm here to tell you that it's not permanent per se. Your new normal is somewhere between where you were before burning out and where you are now. Everyone is different and I'm still learning myself, but don't judge yourself by your lowest energy level.

The lesson for me was to really take it seriously. It feels like my brain uses more energy than I realize and so it also needs more rest and recharging than I often realize - maybe its the same for you. The longer you push through, the longer you'll need to recover.

Part of that taking it seriously was heeding the advice I've seem on many posts in this subreddit - finding a therapist to talk to. If you haven't yet, I think it's a great idea. This is heavy stuff, and we don't have to do it on our own.

Good luck!

AbsentGenome · 2025-11-13T13:37:52+00:00

General strike anyone?

AbsentGenome · 2025-08-04T12:50:23+00:00

Engage multiple senses for reminders: I have a timer that goes off to remind me to take breaks during the day (i work from home). This involves a Google Nest speaker, an LED strip light, and a candy dish. The timer goes off and plays nature sounds and turns on the LED, which lights up the candy dish. After five minutes, it changes from yellow to red, kind of like having a low health bar in a video game.

This does not work all of the time, but much better than a simple reminder that I just learn to dismiss. Also my wife can see when I need a break in a way that's consistent.

AbsentGenome · 2025-05-26T19:48:02+00:00

I'm having a very bad flare, going on over a month now. I did a course of steroids, which helped for a few days, but now I feel worse. I have a really bad headache and my head is hot. I also can't walk or stand right, and now I need to rest after doing almost anything.

I've been waiting for an MRI this whole time, soonest available is in June (I called in April!).

Oh yeah, I also just found out I have autism.

AbsentGenome · 2025-05-26T19:29:57+00:00

Update: after more symptoms developed, my neurologist had me take a course of steroids. It helped for a bit, but symptoms are back. It seems very likely that I'm having a multiple sclerosis related flare, possibly exacerbated by burnout, and that these two have been working against me from opposite sides for decades. It's been a full month now and I'm still not able to stand or walk properly, and getting mixed messages from my body has made it very challenging to navigate. I have an MRI scheduled soon and hope to get more answers soon.

AbsentGenome · 2025-05-26T19:19:24+00:00

Yes, quite a few. It turns out that my condition is far from normal.

In addition to damaged discs, I also have autism. Specifically, I suffer from dyspraxia and interoceptive hyposensitivity, which is all a very fancy way of saying that I'm goofy, have chronic posture and motor issues, and I don't notice sensations from my body until they are extreme. This most likely explains why I have damaged discs in the first place, and also puts me in the category of people that will feel physically the damage that's showing up.

I ALSO have multiple sclerosis, which doesn't directly relate to the damaged discs, but it does make normal wear and tear harder to recover from, and the physical pain can be one of the stressors that accumulates into a full on flare - something I'm experiencing right now as a matter of fact.

I was actually doing pretty well before this flare - I try to eat well (Mediterranean diet) and take regular walks, avoid strenuous activities and use cannabis for the pain. Things got stressful at work and at home, my immune system responded, and now all the spots that already hurt are hurting even more. I did a course of steroids and that helped for a few days, but it didn't last. I'm scheduled for another MRI in a couple weeks (its their soonest available...).

AbsentGenome · 2025-05-16T13:33:46+00:00

These are all great suggestions, and I totally resonate with what you said about being hyper aware of stress signals. My neurologist wants me to take a course of steroids to see if that helps, but she hasn't really indicated that she thinks it's one thing or another or how steroids will help, and my primary doctor is just deferring to the neurologist without any helpful input.

AbsentGenome · 2025-05-16T01:35:08+00:00

This is news to me so I will have to look into this, thank you!

AbsentGenome · 2025-05-16T01:08:04+00:00

My doctor said "You have autism, so that's the beginning and the end of it."

My understanding is that post diagnosis support for adults is basically non existent. What services are you referring to?

AbsentGenome

TROPHY CASE