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refactor-method-complexity-reduce

Refactor given method `${input:methodName}` to reduce its cognitive complexity to `${input:complexityThreshold}` or below, by extracting helper methods.

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github/awesome-copilot
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February 24, 2026 at 03:39
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refactor-method-complexity-reduce
description
Refactor given method `${input:methodName}` to reduce its cognitive complexity to `${input:complexityThreshold}` or below, by extracting helper methods.
# Refactor Method to Reduce Cognitive Complexity ## Objective Refactor the method `${input:methodName}`, to reduce its cognitive complexity to `${input:complexityThreshold}` or below, by extracting logic into focused helper methods. ## Instructions 1. **Analyze the current method** to identify sources of cognitive complexity: - Nested conditional statements - Multiple if-else or switch chains - Repeated code blocks - Multiple loops with conditions - Complex boolean expressions 2. **Identify extraction opportunities**: - Validation logic that can be extracted into a separate method - Type-specific or case-specific processing that repeats - Complex transformations or calculations - Common patterns that appear multiple times 3. **Extract focused helper methods**: - Each helper should have a single, clear responsibility - Extract validation into separate `Validate*` methods - Extract type-specific logic into handler methods - Create utility methods for common operations - Use appropriate access levels (static, private, async) 4. **Simplify the main method**: - Reduce nesting depth - Replace massive if-else chains with smaller orchestrated calls - Use switch statements where appropriate for cleaner dispatch - Ensure the main method reads as a high-level flow 5. **Preserve functionality**: - Maintain the same input/output behavior - Keep all validation and error handling - Preserve exception types and error messages - Ensure all parameters are properly passed to helpers 6. **Best practices**: - Make helper methods static when they don't need instance state - Use null checks and guard clauses early - Avoid creating unnecessary local variables - Consider using tuples for multiple return values - Group related helper methods together ## Implementation Approach - Extract helper methods before refactoring the main flow - Test incrementally to ensure no regressions - Use meaningful names that describe the extracted responsibility - Keep extracted methods close to where they're used - Consider making repeated code patterns into generic methods ## Result The refactored method should: - Have cognitive complexity reduced to the target threshold of `${input:complexityThreshold}` or below - Be more readable and maintainable - Have clear separation of concerns - Be easier to test and debug - Retain all original functionality ## Testing and Validation **CRITICAL: After completing the refactoring, you MUST:** 1. **Run all existing tests** related to the refactored method and its surrounding functionality 2. **MANDATORY: Explicitly verify test results show "failed=0"** - **NEVER assume tests passed** - always examine the actual test output - Search for the summary line containing pass/fail counts (e.g., "passed=X failed=Y") - **If the summary shows any number other than "failed=0", tests have FAILED** - If test output is in a file, read the entire file to locate and verify the failure count - Running tests is NOT the same as verifying tests passed - **Do not proceed** until you have explicitly confirmed zero failures 3. **If any tests fail (failed > 0):** - State clearly how many tests failed - Analyze each failure to understand what functionality was broken - Common causes: null handling, empty collection checks, condition logic errors - Identify the root cause in the refactored code - Correct the refactored code to restore the original behavior - Re-run tests and verify "failed=0" in the output - Repeat until all tests pass (failed=0) 4. **Verify compilation** - Ensure there are no compilation errors 5. **Check cognitive complexity** - Confirm the metric is at or below the target threshold of `${input:complexityThreshold}` ## Confirmation Checklist - [ ] Code compiles without errors - [ ] **Test results explicitly state "failed=0"** (verified by reading the output) - [ ] All test failures analyzed and corrected (if any occurred) - [ ] Cognitive complexity is at or below the target threshold of `${input:complexityThreshold}` - [ ] All original functionality is preserved - [ ] Code follows project conventions and standards
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