How to Install Ponytail for Plugin-Based AI Hosts: Complete Setup Guide

Ponytail installs as JSON hooks and portable skill scripts that plugin-compatible AI hosts load automatically, requiring no additional runtime dependencies beyond the host's standard marketplace or extension system.

Ponytail is a token-minimization ruleset for AI-assisted coding distributed through the DietrichGebert/ponytail repository. When you install Ponytail for plugin-based AI hosts, you inject lifecycle-managed rules and slash commands that enforce aggressive context window management across every LLM turn. The architecture consists solely of JSON configuration files and small skill scripts, allowing any host supporting standard plugin packages to load Ponytail without external dependencies.

Understanding the Plugin Architecture

Ponytail's distribution model relies on two core components that reside in the repository's hooks/ and skills/ directories.

Hooks: Lifecycle Event Injection

Hooks are JSON files that define lifecycle events such as UserPromptSubmit and PreToolUse for each supported host. Located in hooks/claude-codex-hooks.json, hooks/qoder-hooks.json, and hooks/copilot-hooks.json, these files inject Ponytail's "always-on" ruleset during session initialization and register the /ponytail slash commands automatically.

Skills: Command Implementation

The skills/ directory contains six lightweight scripts that implement Ponytail's command set: ponytail, ponytail-review, ponytail-audit, ponytail-debt, ponytail-gain, and ponytail-help. According to skills/ponytail/SKILL.md, these scripts bundle the logic for each slash command and execute when invoked through the host's interface.

Mode Switching State Machine

Ponytail implements a lightweight state machine supporting four modes: lite, full, ultra, and off. The current mode persists in a JSON file within the user's config directory or defaults to the value specified by the PONYTAIL_DEFAULT_MODE environment variable. This configuration determines how aggressively Ponytail's minimization rules apply to code generation.

Host-Specific Installation Methods

Because Ponytail requires only JSON and script files, installation varies by host marketplace mechanism. The README.md in the repository root provides host-specific commands for each platform.

Claude Code

For Claude Code, add the plugin from the marketplace:

/plugin marketplace add DietrichGebert/ponytail
/plugin install ponytail@ponytail

Codex CLI

Install via the Codex CLI plugin manager:

codex plugin marketplace add DietrichGebert/ponytail
codex plugin add ponytail@ponytail

GitHub Copilot CLI

Use the Copilot CLI plugin commands:

copilot plugin marketplace add DietrichGebert/ponytail
copilot plugin install ponytail@ponytail

Pi Agent Harness

Install directly from the Git repository:

pi install git:github.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail

OpenCode

Add the plugin reference to your OpenCode configuration:

{ "plugin": ["@dietrichgebert/ponytail"] }

Gemini CLI and Antigravity CLI

For Gemini CLI:

gemini extensions install https://github.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail

For Antigravity CLI (formerly Gemini CLI):

agy plugin install https://github.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail

Qoder

Copy the bundled rule file into your project directory:

cp .qoder/rules/ponytail.md .qoder/rules/

This references the hooks defined in hooks/qoder-hooks.json.

Hermes Agent

Enable the plugin through the Hermes CLI:

hermes plugins install DietrichGebert/ponytail --enable

Devin CLI

Install via the Devin plugin manager:

devin plugins install DietrichGebert/ponytail

Grok Build

Add to your Grok Build configuration file:

[plugins]
enabled = ["ponytail"]

Configuration Files and State Management

After installation, Ponytail stores its state in the user's config directory as a JSON file tracking the current mode. You can override the default mode at the system level by setting the PONYTAIL_DEFAULT_MODE environment variable before launching the host.

The repository includes AGENTS.md as a plain-text alternative to the JSON hooks for hosts that support only instruction-only mode without full plugin capabilities.

Key Source Files Reference

Understanding the repository structure helps troubleshoot installation issues:

• hooks/claude-codex-hooks.json: Defines lifecycle hooks for Claude Code and Codex hosts, specifying event triggers like UserPromptSubmit.
• skills/ponytail/SKILL.md: Documents the implementation details for the main ponytail skill and references the sibling directories containing the five other command scripts.
• AGENTS.md: Provides the complete ruleset in plain text for hosts lacking JSON hook support.
• scripts/uninstall.js: Removes lingering state files and configuration after removing the plugin from the host.

Once loaded, these files enable commands such as /ponytail ultra to immediately switch modes, or /ponytail-review to analyze existing code for token efficiency.

Summary

• Install Ponytail for plugin-based AI hosts by loading JSON hooks and skill scripts through your host's standard marketplace or extension system.
• Hooks in hooks/claude-codex-hooks.json and similar files automatically inject rules during UserPromptSubmit and other lifecycle events.
• Skills in the skills/ directory implement six commands: ponytail, ponytail-review, ponytail-audit, ponytail-debt, ponytail-gain, and ponytail-help.
• Configuration persists via JSON state files or the PONYTAIL_DEFAULT_MODE environment variable, supporting lite, full, ultra, and off modes.
• Zero dependencies are required beyond the host's native plugin loader, as Ponytail consists only of configuration and script files.

Frequently Asked Questions

What file formats does Ponytail use for installation?

Ponytail distributes as JSON hook files defining lifecycle events and plain-text skill scripts. The hooks/ directory contains host-specific JSON configurations like hooks/copilot-hooks.json, while the skills/ directory contains implementation scripts. For hosts without plugin support, the plain-text AGENTS.md file provides the complete instruction set.

How do I switch between Ponytail's operating modes?

Use the /ponytail slash command followed by the mode name: /ponytail lite, /ponytail full, /ponytail ultra, or /ponytail off. The host stores this preference in a JSON file within your config directory. Alternatively, set the PONYTAIL_DEFAULT_MODE environment variable to enforce a specific mode at startup.

Can I use Ponytail with hosts that don't support plugins?

Yes. Hosts that support instruction-only mode can load Ponytail through the AGENTS.md file instead of the JSON hooks. Copy the contents of AGENTS.md into your host's system prompt or rules section to achieve the same minimization behavior without formal plugin installation.

How do I completely uninstall Ponytail?

First, remove the plugin using your host's uninstall command, then run the scripts/uninstall.js cleanup script to delete residual state files and configuration data. This ensures the mode settings and cached hooks are fully purged from your system.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}