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skills/problem-solving/SKILL.md

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+name: Simplification Cascades
+description: Find one insight that eliminates multiple components - "if this is true, we don't need X, Y, or Z"
+when_to_use: when implementing the same concept multiple ways, accumulating special cases, or complexity is spiraling
+version: 1.1.0
+credit: https://github.com/obra
+---
+
+# Simplification Cascades
+
+## Overview
+
+Sometimes one insight eliminates 10 things. Look for the unifying principle that makes multiple components unnecessary.
+
+**Core principle:** "Everything is a special case of..." collapses complexity dramatically.
+
+## Quick Reference
+
+| Symptom                        | Likely Cascade                       |
+| ------------------------------ | ------------------------------------ |
+| Same thing implemented 5+ ways | Abstract the common pattern          |
+| Growing special case list      | Find the general case                |
+| Complex rules with exceptions  | Find the rule that has no exceptions |
+| Excessive config options       | Find defaults that work for 95%      |
+
+## The Pattern
+
+**Look for:**
+
+- Multiple implementations of similar concepts
+- Special case handling everywhere
+- "We need to handle A, B, C, D differently..."
+- Complex rules with many exceptions
+
+**Ask:** "What if they're all the same thing underneath?"
+
+## Examples
+
+### Cascade 1: Stream Abstraction
+
+**Before:** Separate handlers for batch/real-time/file/network data
+**Insight:** "All inputs are streams - just different sources"
+**After:** One stream processor, multiple stream sources
+**Eliminated:** 4 separate implementations
+
+### Cascade 2: Resource Governance
+
+**Before:** Session tracking, rate limiting, file validation, connection pooling (all separate)
+**Insight:** "All are per-entity resource limits"
+**After:** One ResourceGovernor with 4 resource types
+**Eliminated:** 4 custom enforcement systems
+
+### Cascade 3: Immutability
+
+**Before:** Defensive copying, locking, cache invalidation, temporal coupling
+**Insight:** "Treat everything as immutable data + transformations"
+**After:** Functional programming patterns
+**Eliminated:** Entire classes of synchronization problems
+
+## Process
+
+1. **List the variations** - What's implemented multiple ways?
+2. **Find the essence** - What's the same underneath?
+3. **Extract abstraction** - What's the domain-independent pattern?
+4. **Test it** - Do all cases fit cleanly?
+5. **Measure cascade** - How many things become unnecessary?
+
+## Red Flags You're Missing a Cascade
+
+- "We just need to add one more case..." (repeating forever)
+- "These are all similar but different" (maybe they're the same?)
+- Refactoring feels like whack-a-mole (fix one, break another)
+- Growing configuration file
+- "Don't touch that, it's complicated" (complexity hiding pattern)
+
+## Remember
+
+- Simplification cascades = 10x wins, not 10% improvements
+- One powerful abstraction > ten clever hacks
+- The pattern is usually already there, just needs recognition
+- Measure in "how many things can we delete?"