Best for
- User wants to control how long or detailed a response is
- User mentions tokens, budget, depth, or response length
- User says "short version", "tldr", "brief", "al 25%", "exhaustive", etc.
Source profileQuality 85/100
affaan-m/ECC/skills/token-budget-advisor/SKILL.md
token-budget-advisor
Offers the user an informed choice about how much response depth to consume before answering. Use this skill when the user explicitly wants to control response length, depth, or token budget. TRIGGER when: "token budget", "token count", "token usage", "token limit", "response length", "answer depth", "short version", "brief answer", "detailed answer", "exhaustive answer", "respuesta corta vs larga", "cuántos tokens", "ahorrar tokens", "responde al 50%", "dame la versión corta", "quiero controlar
- Source repository stars
- 234,327
- Declared platforms
- 0
- Static risk flags
- 0
- Last source update
- 2026-07-27
- Source checked
- 2026-07-28
Decision brief
What it does—and where it fits
Intercept the response flow to offer the user a choice about response depth before Claude answers.
Not for
- Tasks that require unconfirmed production actions or broad system permissions.
- Environments where the pinned source and install steps cannot be inspected.
Compatibility matrix
Platform support, with evidence labels
| Platform | Status | Evidence | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Codex | Not declared | No explicit evidence | Portability before use |
| Claude Code | Not declared | No explicit evidence | Portability before use |
| Cursor | Not declared | No explicit evidence | Portability before use |
| Gemini CLI | Not declared | No explicit evidence | Portability before use |
Installation
Inspect first. Install second.
The source command is displayed only when detected. A safe inspection prompt is always available so your agent can explain every action before execution.
Source-detected install commandSource
npx skills add https://github.com/affaan-m/ECC --skill "skills/token-budget-advisor"Safe inspection promptEditorial
Inspect the Agent Skill "token-budget-advisor" from https://github.com/affaan-m/ECC/blob/4e973d3eaf92d97f8d2e2d8abb39d8bdc8711b38/skills/token-budget-advisor/SKILL.md at commit 4e973d3eaf92d97f8d2e2d8abb39d8bdc8711b38. List every install step, command, network request, credential, file read/write, external action, and rollback step. Explain whether it fits my task. Do not install or execute anything until I approve.
Workflow
What the source asks the agent to do
- 01
Step 1 — Estimate input tokens
Use the repository's canonical context-budget heuristics to estimate the prompt's token count mentally.
prose: words × 1.3code-heavy or mixed/code blocks: chars / 4Use the repository's canonical context-budget heuristics to estimate the prompt's token count mentally. - 02
Step 2 — Estimate response size by complexity
Classify the prompt, then apply the multiplier range to get the full response window:
Classify the prompt, then apply the multiplier range to get the full response window:Response window = inputtokens × multmin to inputtokens × multmax (but don’t exceed your model’s configured output-token limit). - 03
Step 3 — Present depth options
Present this block before answering, using the actual estimated numbers:
25% → min + (max - min) × 0.2550% → min + (max - min) × 0.5075% → min + (max - min) × 0.75 - 04
Step 4 — Respond at the chosen level
Review the “Step 4 — Respond at the chosen level” section in the pinned source before continuing.
Review and apply the “Step 4 — Respond at the chosen level” source section. - 05
When to Use
Do not trigger when: user already set a level this session (maintain it silently), or the answer is trivially one line.
User wants to control how long or detailed a response isUser mentions tokens, budget, depth, or response lengthUser says "short version", "tldr", "brief", "al 25%", "exhaustive", etc.
Permission review
Static risk signals and limitations
No configured static risk pattern was detected
This is not proof of safety. Runtime behavior, indirect dependencies, and hidden external systems are outside the static scan.
Evidence record
Why each signal appears
EvidenceSourceComputedTestedEditorial
| Signal | Value | Evidence type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality score | 85/100 | Computed | Documentation, specificity, maintenance, and trust rules |
| Repository stars | 234,327 | Source | Repository attention, not individual Skill quality |
| Compatibility | 0 platforms | Source | Declared in the catalog source record |
| Usage guide | automated source guide | Editorial | Generated or reviewed according to the visible evidence level |
Pinned source
Provenance and original SKILL.md
- Repository
- affaan-m/ECC
- Skill path
- skills/token-budget-advisor/SKILL.md
- Commit
- 4e973d3eaf92d97f8d2e2d8abb39d8bdc8711b38
- License
- MIT
- Collected
- 2026-07-28
- Default branch
- main
View the original SKILL.md
Token Budget Advisor (TBA)
Intercept the response flow to offer the user a choice about response depth before Claude answers.
When to Use
- User wants to control how long or detailed a response is
- User mentions tokens, budget, depth, or response length
- User says "short version", "tldr", "brief", "al 25%", "exhaustive", etc.
- Any time the user wants to choose depth/detail level upfront
Do not trigger when: user already set a level this session (maintain it silently), or the answer is trivially one line.
How It Works
Step 1 — Estimate input tokens
Use the repository's canonical context-budget heuristics to estimate the prompt's token count mentally.
Use the same calibration guidance as context-budget:
- prose:
words × 1.3 - code-heavy or mixed/code blocks:
chars / 4
For mixed content, use the dominant content type and keep the estimate heuristic.
Step 2 — Estimate response size by complexity
Classify the prompt, then apply the multiplier range to get the full response window:
| Complexity | Multiplier range | Example prompts |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | 3× – 8× | "What is X?", yes/no, single fact |
| Medium | 8× – 20× | "How does X work?" |
| Medium-High | 10× – 25× | Code request with context |
| Complex | 15× – 40× | Multi-part analysis, comparisons, architecture |
| Creative | 10× – 30× | Stories, essays, narrative writing |
Response window = input_tokens × mult_min to input_tokens × mult_max (but don’t exceed your model’s configured output-token limit).
Step 3 — Present depth options
Present this block before answering, using the actual estimated numbers:
Analyzing your prompt...
Input: ~[N] tokens | Type: [type] | Complexity: [level] | Language: [lang]
Choose your depth level:
[1] Essential (25%) -> ~[tokens] Direct answer only, no preamble
[2] Moderate (50%) -> ~[tokens] Answer + context + 1 example
[3] Detailed (75%) -> ~[tokens] Full answer with alternatives
[4] Exhaustive (100%) -> ~[tokens] Everything, no limits
Which level? (1-4 or say "25% depth", "50% depth", "75% depth", "100% depth")
Precision: heuristic estimate ~85-90% accuracy (±15%).
Level token estimates (within the response window):
- 25% →
min + (max - min) × 0.25 - 50% →
min + (max - min) × 0.50 - 75% →
min + (max - min) × 0.75 - 100% →
max
Step 4 — Respond at the chosen level
| Level | Target length | Include | Omit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25% Essential | 2-4 sentences max | Direct answer, key conclusion | Context, examples, nuance, alternatives |
| 50% Moderate | 1-3 paragraphs | Answer + necessary context + 1 example | Deep analysis, edge cases, references |
| 75% Detailed | Structured response | Multiple examples, pros/cons, alternatives | Extreme edge cases, exhaustive references |
| 100% Exhaustive | No restriction | Everything — full analysis, all code, all perspectives | Nothing |
Shortcuts — skip the question
If the user already signals a level, respond at that level immediately without asking:
| What they say | Level |
|---|---|
| "1" / "25% depth" / "short version" / "brief answer" / "tldr" | 25% |
| "2" / "50% depth" / "moderate depth" / "balanced answer" | 50% |
| "3" / "75% depth" / "detailed answer" / "thorough answer" | 75% |
| "4" / "100% depth" / "exhaustive answer" / "full deep dive" | 100% |
If the user set a level earlier in the session, maintain it silently for subsequent responses unless they change it.
Precision note
This skill uses heuristic estimation — no real tokenizer. Accuracy ~85-90%, variance ±15%. Always show the disclaimer.
Examples
Triggers
- "Give me the short version first."
- "How many tokens will your answer use?"
- "Respond at 50% depth."
- "I want the exhaustive answer, not the summary."
- "Dame la version corta y luego la detallada."
Does Not Trigger
- "What is a JWT token?"
- "The checkout flow uses a payment token."
- "Is this normal?"
- "Complete the refactor."
- Follow-up questions after the user already chose a depth for the session
Source
Standalone skill from TBA — Token Budget Advisor for Claude Code. Original project also ships a Python estimator script, but this repository keeps the skill self-contained and heuristic-only.
Alternatives