> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.elementary.io/hig/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.elementary.io/hig/design-philosophy/concision.md). # Concision Always work to make your app instantly understandable. The main function of your app should be immediately apparent. You can do this in a number of ways, but one of the best ways is by sticking to a principal of concision. ## Avoid Feature Bloat It's often very tempting to continue adding more and more features into your app. However, it is important to recognize that every new feature has a price. Specifically, every time you add a new feature: * Your app gets slower, consumes more resources, and takes up more disk space. * Your app's interface becomes more cluttered and thus harder to use. * More time is spent implementing this new feature, rather than perfecting an old feature. * More code can often mean a greater possibility for bugs. * More features means more work on documentation, translations, etc. ## Think in Modules Build small, modular apps that communicate well. elementary OS apps avoid feature overlap and make their functions available outside of themselves through [Launcher Actions](https://docs.elementary.io/develop/apis/launchers#actions) and make use of [Portals](https://docs.flatpak.org/en/latest/portal-api-reference.html). This both saves you time as a developer (by other apps making their functions available to you), and is a courteous gesture towards other developers (by making your app's functions available to them). --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.elementary.io/hig/design-philosophy/concision.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.