docs: update positioning to performance optimization system, add Plankton reference

* Initial plan

* docs: document core skill scope

---------

Co-authored-by: openai-code-agent[bot] <242516109+Codex@users.noreply.github.com>

.github/FUNDING.yml

@@ -1,15 +1,2 @@
-# These are supported funding model platforms
-
-github: [affaan-m]
-# patreon: # Replace with a single Patreon username
-# open_collective: # Replace with a single Open Collective username
-# ko_fi: # Replace with a single Ko-fi username
-# tidelift: # Replace with a single Tidelift platform-name/package-name e.g., npm/babel
-# community_bridge: # Replace with a single Community Bridge project-name e.g., cloud-hierarchical-namespace-controller
-# liberapay: # Replace with a single Liberapay username
-# issuehunt: # Replace with a single IssueHunt username
-# lfx_crowdfunding: # Replace with a single LFX Crowdfunding project-name e.g., cloud-hierarchical-namespace-controller
-# polar: # Replace with a single Polar username
-# buy_me_a_coffee: # Replace with a single Buy Me a Coffee username
-# thanks_dev: # Replace with a single thanks.dev username
+github: affaan-m
 custom: ['https://ecc.tools']

README.md

@@ -27,9 +27,11 @@
 
 ---
 
-**The complete collection of Claude Code configs from an Anthropic hackathon winner.**
+**The performance optimization system for AI agent harnesses. From an Anthropic hackathon winner.**
 
-Production-ready agents, skills, hooks, commands, rules, and MCP configurations evolved over 10+ months of intensive daily use building real products.
+Not just configs. A complete system: skills, instincts, memory optimization, continuous learning, security scanning, and research-first development. Production-ready agents, hooks, commands, rules, and MCP configurations evolved over 10+ months of intensive daily use building real products.
+
+Works across **Claude Code**, **Codex**, **Cowork**, and other AI agent harnesses.
 
 ---
 
@@ -440,6 +442,10 @@ Use `/security-scan` in Claude Code to run it, or add to CI with the [GitHub Act
 
 [GitHub](https://github.com/affaan-m/agentshield) | [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/ecc-agentshield)
 
+### 🔬 Plankton — Code Quality Integration
+
+[Plankton](https://github.com/alexfazio/plankton) is a recommended companion for code quality enforcement. It provides automated code review, linting orchestration, and quality gates that pair well with the ECC skill and hook system. Use it alongside AgentShield for security + quality coverage.
+
 ### 🧠 Continuous Learning v2
 
 The instinct-based learning system automatically learns your patterns:
@@ -557,8 +563,15 @@ cp -r everything-claude-code/rules/golang/* ~/.claude/rules/
 # Copy commands
 cp everything-claude-code/commands/*.md ~/.claude/commands/
 
-# Copy skills
-cp -r everything-claude-code/skills/* ~/.claude/skills/
+# Copy skills (core vs niche)
+# Recommended (new users): core/general skills only
+cp -r everything-claude-code/.agents/skills/* ~/.claude/skills/
+cp -r everything-claude-code/skills/search-first ~/.claude/skills/
+
+# Optional: add niche/framework-specific skills only when needed
+# for s in django-patterns django-tdd springboot-patterns; do
+#   cp -r everything-claude-code/skills/$s ~/.claude/skills/
+# done
 ```
 
 #### Add hooks to settings.json

mcp-configs/mcp-servers.json

@@ -66,6 +66,14 @@
       "url": "https://mcp.clickhouse.cloud/mcp",
       "description": "ClickHouse analytics queries"
     },
+    "exa-web-search": {
+      "command": "npx",
+      "args": ["-y", "exa-mcp-server"],
+      "env": {
+        "EXA_API_KEY": "YOUR_EXA_API_KEY_HERE"
+      },
+      "description": "Web search, research, and data ingestion via Exa API — recommended for research-first development workflow"
+    },
     "context7": {
       "command": "npx",
       "args": ["-y", "@context7/mcp-server"],

rules/common/development-workflow.md

@@ -2,12 +2,20 @@
 
 > This file extends [common/git-workflow.md](./git-workflow.md) with the full feature development process that happens before git operations.
 
-The Feature Implementation Workflow describes the development pipeline: planning, TDD, code review, and then committing to git.
+The Feature Implementation Workflow describes the development pipeline: research, planning, TDD, code review, and then committing to git.
 
 ## Feature Implementation Workflow
 
+0. **Research & Reuse** _(mandatory before any new implementation)_
+   - **GitHub code search first:** Run `gh search repos` and `gh search code` to find existing implementations, templates, and patterns before writing anything new.
+   - **Exa MCP for research:** Use `exa-web-search` MCP during the planning phase for broader research, data ingestion, and discovering prior art.
+   - **Check package registries:** Search npm, PyPI, crates.io, and other registries before writing utility code. Prefer battle-tested libraries over hand-rolled solutions.
+   - **Search for adaptable implementations:** Look for open-source projects that solve 80%+ of the problem and can be forked, ported, or wrapped.
+   - Prefer adopting or porting a proven approach over writing net-new code when it meets the requirement.
+
 1. **Plan First**
    - Use **planner** agent to create implementation plan
+   - Generate planning docs before coding: PRD, architecture, system_design, tech_doc, task_list
    - Identify dependencies and risks
    - Break down into phases
 

skills/configure-ecc/SKILL.md

@@ -64,7 +64,23 @@ mkdir -p $TARGET/skills $TARGET/rules
 
 ## Step 2: Select & Install Skills
 
-### 2a: Choose Skill Categories
+### 2a: Choose Scope (Core vs Niche)
+
+Default to **Core (recommended for new users)** — copy `.agents/skills/*` plus `skills/search-first/` for research-first workflows. This bundle covers engineering, evals, verification, security, strategic compaction, frontend design, and Anthropic cross-functional skills (article-writing, content-engine, market-research, frontend-slides).
+
+Use `AskUserQuestion` (single select):
+```
+Question: "Install core skills only, or include niche/framework packs?"
+Options:
+  - "Core only (recommended)" — "tdd, e2e, evals, verification, research-first, security, frontend patterns, compacting, cross-functional Anthropic skills"
+  - "Core + selected niche" — "Add framework/domain-specific skills after core"
+  - "Niche only" — "Skip core, install specific framework/domain skills"
+Default: Core only
+```
+
+If the user chooses niche or core + niche, continue to category selection below and only include those niche skills they pick.
+
+### 2b: Choose Skill Categories
 
 There are 27 skills organized into 4 categories. Use `AskUserQuestion` with `multiSelect: true`:
 
@@ -77,7 +93,7 @@ Options:
   - "All skills" — "Install every available skill"
 ```
 
-### 2b: Confirm Individual Skills
+### 2c: Confirm Individual Skills
 
 For each selected category, print the full list of skills below and ask the user to confirm or deselect specific ones. If the list exceeds 4 items, print the list as text and use `AskUserQuestion` with an "Install all listed" option plus "Other" for the user to paste specific names.
 
@@ -140,7 +156,7 @@ For each selected category, print the full list of skills below and ask the user
 |-------|-------------|
 | `project-guidelines-example` | Template for creating project-specific skills |
 
-### 2c: Execute Installation
+### 2d: Execute Installation
 
 For each selected skill, copy the entire skill directory:
 ```bash

skills/search-first/SKILL.md

@@ -61,10 +61,11 @@ Use this skill when:
 
 Before writing a utility or adding functionality, mentally run through:
 
+0. Does this already exist in the repo? → `rg` through relevant modules/tests first
 1. Is this a common problem? → Search npm/PyPI
 2. Is there an MCP for this? → Check `~/.claude/settings.json` and search
 3. Is there a skill for this? → Check `~/.claude/skills/`
-4. Is there a GitHub template? → Search GitHub
+4. Is there a GitHub implementation/template? → Run GitHub code search for maintained OSS before writing net-new code
 
 ### Full Mode (agent)