# caveman-compress

> Claude/Codex skill by [@juliusbrussee](https://omgskills.com/library/juliusbrussee/index.md) · 113k stars · Updated 2026-10-18

Compress a memory file such as CLAUDE.md or a todo list into caveman format to save input tokens, keeping a readable backup. Sends the file's text to the configured model provider. Trigger: /caveman-compress.

Tags: ai, anthropic, caveman, claude, claude-code, llm, meme, prompt-engineering, skill, tokens

## Install

```sh
git clone https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman /tmp/caveman && ln -s /tmp/caveman/skills/caveman-compress ~/.claude/skills/caveman-compress
```

## From README

Caveman Compress Purpose Data leaves the machine. Compression sends the file's full text to the model provider that scripts/compress.py is configured for: the claude CLI, the Anthropic API, or an OpenAI-compatible endpoint. Files whose names look like secrets (.env, credentials, secrets, .netrc, …) are refused before they are read. Don't compress a file the provider shouldn't see. Compress natural language files (CLAUDE.md, todos, preferences) into caveman-speak to reduce input tokens. Compressed version overwrites original. Human-readable backup saved as .original.md, but NOT beside the source file — it lives in an out-of-tree data dir ($XDGDATAHOME/caveman-compress/backups/ /, or %LOCALAPPDATA%\\caveman-compress\\backups\\ \\ on Windows) so skill auto-loaders don't re-ingest it as a live file. Trigger /caveman-compress or when user asks to compress a memory file. Requires an explicit filepath.

## Links

- HTML page: https://omgskills.com/library/juliusbrussee/caveman/compress/
- GitHub: https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman
- Author: [@juliusbrussee](https://omgskills.com/library/juliusbrussee/index.md)

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