refactoring

name	refactoring
description	Boy Scout Rule and identification of code smells.

Refactoring Skill

This skill guides the process of improving existing code without changing its external behavior.

1. The Boy Scout Rule

"Leave the code cleaner than you found it."

• If you see a small issue (poor naming, long line), fix it as part of your current task.
• Do not let technical debt accumulate.

2. Identifying Code Smells

• Long Method: Extract smaller functions.
• Duplicate Code: Create shared abstractions.
• Large Class: Split into smaller, specialized components.
• Primitive Obsession: Use meaningful types/structs instead of raw strings/integers for domain concepts (e.g., UserId instead of String).

3. Safe Refactoring

• Test Safety Net: NEVER refactor without passing tests.
• Small Steps: Perform refactoring in small, incremental steps. Run tests after each step.
• Don't Mix Tasks: Do not add new features while refactoring. Finish the refactor, commit, then add the feature.