# What Is File Mode in Humanizer and How Does It Work?

> Discover Humanizer's file mode: a unique output that saves only edited prose, keeping code and structure intact. Learn how this powerful feature works.

- Repository: [Siqi Chen/humanizer](https://github.com/blader/humanizer)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-09-10

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**File mode in Humanizer is a specialized output behavior that writes only the final edited prose to a specified file while preserving all code blocks, metadata, and structural elements unchanged.**

Humanizer is a Markdown-based skill designed to rewrite AI-generated prose to sound authentically human while preserving the original meaning. When you invoke **File mode**, the `blader/humanizer` repository treats your request as a file-editing operation rather than a conversational response, executing its full four-step editing pipeline but persisting only the refined text to disk.

## How File Mode Works in Humanizer

According to the official definition in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/blader/humanizer/blob/main/SKILL.md) at line 50, File mode follows a strict protocol when a user provides a target filename. The skill executes its complete editing workflow—marking tells, drafting rewrites, checking for patterns, and finalizing output—but applies a selective writing process that protects document integrity.

### The Four-Step Execution Pipeline

When File mode activates, Humanizer runs through its standard workflow:

1. **Mark the tells** – Identify AI-generated patterns and stylistic artifacts in the source text.
2. **Draft the rewrite** – Generate humanized alternatives for marked sections.
3. **Check** – Verify the rewrite maintains original meaning and intent.
4. **Write final** – Persist only the polished prose to the specified file.

### What Gets Preserved vs. Rewritten

**File mode in Humanizer** performs surgical editing. It rewrites narrative prose and explanatory text while maintaining the exact formatting of technical elements:

- **Preserved verbatim**: Code blocks, inline code snippets, shell commands, file paths, YAML frontmatter, data blocks, and hyperlink targets.
- **Rewritten**: Body text, descriptions, comments (when explicitly requested), and conversational elements.

After writing the file, Humanizer returns a concise summary to the user rather than the full text content.

## Using File Mode for Documentation Editing

The primary use case for **Humanizer's File mode** is maintaining technical documentation where structural integrity matters. When you reference a file in your prompt—such as [`README.md`](https://github.com/blader/humanizer/blob/main/README.md) or [`docs/overview.md`](https://github.com/blader/humanizer/blob/main/docs/overview.md)—the skill automatically switches to this mode.

### Example: Updating Markdown Documentation

```markdown
User prompt:
> Please improve the style of my documentation. Write the result to `docs/overview.md`.

Humanizer (File mode) response:
✅ `docs/overview.md` updated: 8 tells removed, 3 pattern fixes applied.

```

In this scenario, Humanizer reads the existing content, processes the prose through its editing pipeline, and writes only the humanized text back to [`docs/overview.md`](https://github.com/blader/humanizer/blob/main/docs/overview.md). All embedded code examples and frontmatter remain untouched.

### Example: Rewriting Comments in Shell Scripts

File mode handles non-Markdown files when the content structure permits selective editing:

```markdown
User prompt:
> Apply Humanizer to `scripts/install.sh` – only the comments should be rewritten.

Humanizer (File mode) response:
✅ `scripts/install.sh` updated: comments rewritten, code unchanged.

```

The skill identifies comment blocks as prose eligible for rewriting while treating all executable code as immutable artifacts.

## File Mode vs. Standard Chat Output

Understanding when **Humanizer** operates in File mode versus standard conversational mode depends entirely on input detection:

| Trigger | Behavior | Output Destination |
|---------|----------|-------------------|
| Filename mentioned (e.g., [`README.md`](https://github.com/blader/humanizer/blob/main/README.md)) | File mode | Writes to disk, returns summary |
| No filename provided | Standard mode | Returns full rewritten text in chat |

This distinction makes File mode ideal for **automated pipelines** and **CI/CD workflows** where you need Humanizer to function as a headless editing tool that modifies repository files directly without manual copy-paste operations.

## Summary

- **File mode in Humanizer** activates automatically when you specify a target filename in your request, triggering a disk-write operation rather than chat output.
- The skill executes its full four-step editing pipeline (mark tells → draft → check → finalize) but only persists rewritten prose, leaving code blocks, YAML metadata, paths, and commands untouched.
- Implementation details reside in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/blader/humanizer/blob/main/SKILL.md) at line 50, with integration patterns documented in [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/blader/humanizer/blob/main/AGENTS.md) and usage examples in [`README.md`](https://github.com/blader/humanizer/blob/main/README.md).
- Use this mode for bulk documentation updates, README refinements, and automated content pipelines where structural preservation is critical.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How do I activate File mode in Humanizer?

File mode activates automatically when you include a filename in your prompt. Simply reference the target file—such as [`README.md`](https://github.com/blader/humanizer/blob/main/README.md) or [`docs/guide.md`](https://github.com/blader/humanizer/blob/main/docs/guide.md)—and Humanizer will write the edited output directly to that path instead of returning the full text in the conversation.

### What file types support File mode editing?

While **Humanizer's File mode** works with any text-based file, it is optimized for Markdown (`*.md`), documentation files, and code files where comments need rewriting. The skill preserves all technical syntax including code blocks, inline snippets, shell commands, file paths, YAML frontmatter, and hyperlink targets regardless of file extension.

### Does File mode modify code blocks or only prose?

File mode specifically targets prose for rewriting while keeping all structural elements intact. According to the definition in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/blader/humanizer/blob/main/SKILL.md), the skill leaves code blocks, inline code, commands, paths, YAML metadata, data blocks, and link targets completely unchanged—only narrative text receives humanized editing.

### Can I use File mode in automated scripts or CI pipelines?

Yes. Because **File mode in Humanizer** writes directly to the specified file and returns only a brief status summary, it integrates seamlessly into automated workflows. You can invoke the skill programmatically to clean up generated documentation before commits, ensuring repository files contain polished, human-readable text without manual intervention.