| name | basecode:dead-code |
| description | Apply the BaseCode Dead Code practice — remove commented-out code, unused code, unreachable code, and abandoned feature branches to reduce noise and improve readability. |
BaseCode: Dead Code
Apply the BaseCode Dead Code practice to improve the readability of the code under review. The goal is not shorter code or personal style — it is readability: making the code easier for the next human to read.
Remove all code that is not executed or no longer serves a purpose. Dead code creates noise, signals neglect, and misleads readers.
Commented-out code — delete it. It exists in version control; if it's needed again, revert.
Unused code — remove parameters, variables, methods, and imports that are never referenced. Use static analysis to find them.
Unreachable code — remove code that can never execute:
break after return inside a switch/case- Code below a top-level
return in a function
- Conditions that always evaluate to
false
- Loops that never run
Abandoned code — identify conditional paths gated on config values, feature flags, or preferences that are permanently off or no longer exist, and remove the entire dead branch.
