---
name: principle-subtract-before-you-add
description: Remove dead weight and obsolete paths first; build on the simpler remaining system. Use when before an addition, rewrite, or structural refactor.
---
# Subtract Before You Add

## Trigger

Before an addition, rewrite, or structural refactor.

## Rule

Remove dead weight and obsolete paths first; build on the simpler remaining system.

## Application

1. Name the concrete decision this principle changes.
2. Apply the rule to that decision, not as a decorative citation.
3. Prefer evidence from the current repository/runtime over generic preference.
4. If the principle conflicts with an explicit user constraint, keep the constraint and state the tradeoff.