safe-refactor

name	safe-refactor
description	Code-generation skill. Use only when refactoring existing repo code, moving files, or improving architecture without changing user-visible behavior.
metadata	{"family":"code","owner":"engineering","last_reviewed":"2026-04-30T00:00:00.000Z","version":"1.0.0"}

Safe Refactor

This is a code-generation skill. Use it only for implementation cleanup, not content research.

Use When

• moving code between folders
• shrinking large route files
• aligning old code to the current architecture
• cleaning up imports or ownership boundaries

Main Rule

Preserve behavior first. Improve structure second.

Required Approach

1. identify the current behavior and public route impact
2. keep route/API/SEO behavior unchanged
3. move composition into the correct feature layer
4. reuse existing shells/helpers instead of inventing replacements
5. stop when the task goal is met

Architecture Targets

• thin src/app
• feature-owned logic in src/features
• no new feature data in src/lib
• no new feature UI in retired locations

Do Not Refactor Opportunistically

Do not do these during an unrelated task:

• broad folder normalization
• mass renames across untouched domains
• replacing active shared abstractions just because they are imperfect

Current Reality To Respect

These are still active:

• src/features/career-hub/shared/*
• src/components/common/*

Do not treat them as dead code by default.

Success Criteria

• behavior preserved
• route files thinner if that was part of the task
• file placement improved
• no architecture regression introduced