📅 Last updated: 2026-10-02
⚠️ Star counts and version info may change over time; refer to the official GitHub repo
1. What is it? #
Caveman is an open-source AI Agent Skill whose motto is “why use many token when few token do trick“. It makes AI assistants reply in ultra-short “caveman-style” sentences, compressing verbose output into short phrases — reportedly saving around 65% of token usage.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Author | JuliusBrussee |
| Repo | https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman |
| Stars | ~109k (at time of writing) |
| License | Apache-2.0 (fully re-licensed from v3.0.0) |
| Nature | Skill + Proxy + Middleware trio |
| Official site | https://caveman.so |
2. Core principle #
Caveman isn’t just a prompt — it is split into three layers:
| Component | Role |
|---|---|
| Skill (what it says) | instructs the model to reply in ultra-short sentences |
| Proxy (what it reads) | a middle-layer proxy that compresses input sent to the model |
| Middleware (what your app sends) | lets your own application apply compression too |
In other words, it compresses both “what the model says” and “what the model reads”, saving tokens on both ends.
3. Usage #
The /caveman command offers several intensity levels:
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
/caveman lite |
light compression |
/caveman full |
standard compression |
/caveman ultra |
extreme compression |
/caveman wenyan-lite / full / ultra |
Classical Chinese (wenyan) version, various levels |
/caveman off |
turn off |
4. Supported platforms #
Caveman supports several major coding agents and CLIs:
| Platform | Installation |
|---|---|
| Claude Code | claude plugin marketplace add JuliusBrussee/caveman |
| Gemini CLI | gemini extensions install https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman |
| Oh My Pi (OMP) | npx -y github:JuliusBrussee/caveman -- --only omp |
| Qwen Code | caveman qwen |
| Codex / Cursor / Windsurf / Cline | npx skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman --skill '*' |
5. Real-world results #
JetBrains actually tested the effect of “talking to AI like a caveman”, and the results matched the official claim — roughly 65% token savings. This made Caveman go viral in the coding-agent community, becoming one of the most-starred tools of its kind.
⚠️ Notes #
| Note | Description |
|---|---|
| Reduced readability | compressed sentences are terser and may affect reading flow |
| Not for every scenario | avoid when formal, detailed output is required |
| Adjustable intensity | pick lite / full / ultra as needed; no need to go extreme |
| Third-party open source | community-developed, not official Anthropic output |
🔗 References #
| Source | Link |
|---|---|
| GitHub Repo | https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman |
| Official site | https://caveman.so |
| JetBrains test article | https://blog.jetbrains.com/ai/2026/07/speak-to-ai-agents-like-cavemen-tosave-tokens/ |
Sources: GitHub and public test articles (October 2026)