change

name	change
description	Simple changes done right. Make the change, clean up after yourself, report what happened.

/change [description]

For simple changes that don't warrant full planning — with a built-in cleanup pass.

No arguments? Describe this skill and stop. Do not execute.

What Is This?

/change is the light workflow: make a small change carefully, then clean up what you wrote. One command instead of two.

Use this when:

• Add a field to a model/DTO
• Rename something
• Add a parameter
• Small bug fix
• Add a button/link
• Update a constant

If the change touches 5+ files or has design decisions → use /cleanup instead.

Canon Skills (Auto-Invoke)

Always Active

Skill	Why
/clarity	Kernighan - naming, simplicity
/refactoring	Fowler - safe small changes
/style	Google - match existing patterns

By Change Type

Change Type	Invoke	Why
Rename	/clarity	Kernighan naming principles
Bug fix	/legacy	Feathers' characterization before change
Validation	/owasp	Input validation is security
Database	/sql	Celko's column design

By Language

TypeScript/JavaScript:

Pattern	Invoke
*.ts, *.tsx	/typescript, /cherny
*.js, *.jsx	/js-safety, /crockford
*.spec.ts, *.test.ts	/dodds, /test-doubles

Java:

Pattern	Invoke
*.java	/java (Bloch's field/API design)
*Test.java	/test-doubles

Python:

Pattern	Invoke
*.py	/python-idioms, /python-patterns
test_*.py	/test-doubles

C#:

Pattern	Invoke
*.cs	/csharp-depth

Go:

Pattern	Invoke
*.go	/simplicity (Pike's Go proverbs)

---

Process

Step 1: Understand

Read the existing code around the change. Check how similar things are done nearby.

Step 2: Make the Change

Follow existing patterns. Complete the circuit — if you add a field, update everywhere it matters.

Step 3: Verify Checklist

Run the checklist for your change type (see below). Don't skip items.

Step 4: Clean What You Wrote

Review every file you just touched against the cleanup tables below. Fix issues inline — don't leave them for a separate pass.

Step 5: Build + Test

Confirm build passes and tests pass.

Step 6: Report

List what was changed and what was cleaned.

---

Checklists (Step 3)

For Adding a Field/Property

• Added to model/entity
• Added to DTO (if separate)
• Added to API request/response
• Added to UI form (if user-facing)
• Added to UI display (if displayed)
• Added to validation
• Added to tests
• Added to any mappings/transformers
• Database migration (if persisted)

For Renaming

• Renamed in definition
• Renamed in ALL usages (grep to verify)
• Renamed in tests
• Renamed in comments/docs
• API backwards compatibility considered

For Adding a Parameter

• Added to function signature
• Updated all call sites
• Updated tests
• Updated docs/JSDoc
• Default value if appropriate

For Bug Fix

• Root cause identified (not just symptom)
• Fix is minimal (not refactoring in disguise)
• Test added to prevent regression
• Related code checked for same bug

---

Cleanup Tables (Step 4)

AI-Generated Antipatterns

Smell	What to Look For	Fix
Over-abstraction	Factory/Builder/Wrapper used only once	Inline it
Defensive paranoia	if (x != null) when x can never be null	Remove check
Reimplementing stdlib	Custom deepClone, isEmpty, capitalize	Use library
Comment spam	// loop through users above for...of	Delete comment
Speculative features	Config option with only one value used	Remove option
Enterprise naming	AbstractUserFactoryManager	Simplify name
Wrapper classes	Class that just delegates to another	Inline or remove
Unused parameters	function foo(a, b, c) but c never used	Remove parameter
Over-generic types	Result<T, E, M, C> for simple return	Simplify type

Common Problems

Problem	Threshold	Fix
Vague names	data, result, temp, item, info	Rename to intent
Magic numbers	Hardcoded values	Extract to constant
Dead code	Unused imports, unreachable code	Delete
Redundant code	Duplicate logic	Extract or remove

Naming Smells

Smell	Example	Fix
Generic -er	Processor, Handler, Manager	Name for what it does
Impl suffix	UserServiceImpl	UserService if only one
I- prefix	IUserService	UserService (TS isn't C#)
Type in name	userString, countInt	user, count
Negative booleans	isNotValid, hasNoErrors	isValid, hasErrors

Self-Test Questions

1. Would I mass-delete this in code review? → Delete it
2. Does this abstraction have more than one use? → If no, inline it
3. Would a new team member understand this name? → If no, rename it
4. Is this check possible to fail? → If no, remove it
5. Did I write this or did I request it? → If not requested, remove it

---

Output Format

## Change: [description]

CHANGE_TYPE: [add-field | rename | add-param | bug-fix | other]

### Changed

| File:Line | What Changed |
|-----------|-------------|
| src/user.ts:12 | Added `email` field to User model |
| src/user.dto.ts:8 | Added `email` to UserDTO |

### Checklist

- [x] Model updated
- [x] DTO updated
- [x] Tests updated
- [ ] N/A: No UI for this field

### Cleaned

| File:Line | Issue | What Was Done |
|-----------|-------|---------------|
| src/user.ts:45 | Defensive paranoia | Removed null check on required field |
| src/user.ts:23 | Comment spam | Deleted `// Get the user` above `getUser()` |

### Summary

| | Count |
|---|-------|
| Files changed | N |
| Checklist items | N/N |
| Issues cleaned | N |

BUILD: pass
TESTS: pass

CHANGE_COMPLETE

What NOT to Fix

Leave these for dedicated skills:

Issue	Use Instead
Long functions (>30 lines)	/cleanup
Deep nesting (>3 levels)	/cleanup
Complex refactoring	/cleanup
Security issues	/cleanup or /code-scan
Static analysis	/code-scan

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake	Example	Do This Instead
Incomplete circuit	Added field to model, forgot DTO	Grep for the type name, update all
Inconsistent naming	user_name in DB, userName in code, name in UI	Match existing pattern exactly
Speculative additions	"Added createdAt while I was there"	Only what was requested
Missing validation	Added email field with no format check	Add validation if the field has constraints
No test	"It's just a field"	Add test, especially for validation

When to Escalate

Use /cleanup instead if:

• You're touching 5+ files
• There are design decisions to make
• You're unsure about the right approach
• The "simple" change is revealing complexity

vs Other Workflows

Workflow	When to Use	Overhead
/change	Add field, rename, small fix	Light (checklist + cleanup)
/cleanup	Quality pass on existing code	Gate + canon review + fixes