Start at the official repository
Open the official Ponytail GitHub repository for source code, issues, releases, and the MIT license. The upstream website is ponytail.dev. Ponytail Guide is an independent publication; we do not maintain the plugin and are not affiliated with its author or the companies behind the supported agents.
The distinction matters when installing software. Use the repository above as the source of installation instructions and code. This guide adds explanations of platform differences, verification steps, and evidence limits. Our documented reference is version 5.3.2 at commit 09c434a, rather than a promise that every instruction follows the newest release automatically.
Choose the setup for your coding agent
Ponytail is a set of coding instructions with several delivery mechanisms. A plugin, a lifecycle hook, and a project rules file can carry related guidance, but they do not provide identical controls.
- Claude Code: install the official plugin through its marketplace. This is the Claude Code coding environment, including its supported Desktop Code interface.
- Codex: add the marketplace and plugin, inspect and trust the lifecycle hooks, then start a fresh conversation.
- Cursor: choose the upstream hooks installer or a project rules file. Hooks and rules are alternatives, with different limitations.
- GitHub Copilot: CLI plugins and editor instructions are different integrations. Use the official Copilot CLI instructions for that path.
The installation overview compares scope, prerequisites, and recovery before you change an existing configuration. None of the commands shown on this website run in your environment when you view or copy them.
Two agents, two command formats
Inside Claude Code
Send these as two separate commands in Claude Code, rather than pasting them into a system terminal:
/plugin marketplace add DietrichGebert/ponytail/plugin install ponytail@ponytailIn a terminal for Codex
codex plugin marketplace add DietrichGebert/ponytail
codex plugin add ponytail@ponytailCodex then requires a hook review in /hooks and a new chat; the Desktop application needs a restart after installation. Follow the full platform guide to check scope and remove the installation later. These commands are supported by the fixed-version upstream installation documentation; source review alone does not establish that an installation has succeeded on your machine.
Pick a level, keep the requirements
The upstream calls the settings levels; you may also see them called modes. lite gives a gentle nudge toward a smaller solution. full, the default, applies the complete minimal-change approach. ultra more actively questions unnecessary scope. off disables the behavior where the integration supports that control.
These are different levels of challenge, not a ladder of guaranteed code quality. Start with a clear task and explicit acceptance criteria. Try full when you want the agent to inspect existing helpers before adding another layer. Choose lite if you prefer a brief suggestion while keeping the requested direction. Use ultra when revisiting assumptions is welcome, and state which requirements are nonnegotiable.
See levels, defaults, and host-specific commands before treating a session change as a permanent preference. A rules-only installation does not acquire plugin commands simply because the same behavior is described in its file.
Read the evidence with its conditions
The author publishes a code-reduction benchmark. Our official benchmark explanation links the report, identifies its agent and model, and explains why fewer lines do not establish correctness. Its results concern the author's specified tasks and conditions; they are not independent measurements by Ponytail Guide.
Our own independent comparison has not been completed. We publish a reproduction protocol so a comparison can be assessed before any aggregate claim is made. Failed tests, missing requirements, and timeouts belong in an evaluation. A smaller patch that breaks validation is not a successful saving.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ponytail Guide the official Ponytail website?
No. The official source is DietrichGebert/ponytail, and the upstream website is ponytail.dev. We explain the project independently and link sources so you can check our interpretation.
Is Ponytail a new model or an IDE?
It is coding guidance delivered through skills, plugins, hooks, or rules files. Your existing agent and model still perform the task. Installing it does not replace Cursor, Claude Code, or Codex.
Does fewer lines mean the code is correct?
No. Check requirements, tests, error handling, security, and accessibility. The limitations guide shows situations where simplification needs especially careful review.
Is the software free to use?
The upstream software uses the MIT license. Your coding agent, model access, or hosted services may have their own terms and costs. A software license does not grant free use of those services.
Maintained by the Ponytail Guide editorial team. Found an outdated command or a factual error? Send a correction. Do not include secrets or private code.