de-sloppify

name	de-sloppify
description	Two-pass development pattern for cleaner output. Use after implementing a large feature, complex refactor, or any substantial code change. Separates implementation from cleanup for better results. Two focused agents beat one constrained agent.

De-Sloppify Pattern

Two focused passes beat one constrained pass. First implement, then clean up in a separate pass with fresh eyes.

The Problem

When you ask for implementation + quality in one pass, you get neither done well. The model tries to satisfy conflicting constraints: "write fast" vs "write clean."

The Pattern

Pass 1: Implement

Focus entirely on making it work. Get the feature done, tests passing, logic correct. Don't worry about:

• Console.log statements
• Commented-out code
• Verbose variable names
• Tests that test language behavior rather than business logic
• Overly defensive error handling

Pass 2: De-Sloppify

Fresh review of all changes. Check for and fix:

1. Dead code — Remove commented-out code, unused imports, unreachable branches
2. Debug artifacts — Remove console.log, print(), debugger statements
3. Test quality — Remove tests that test the type system or framework behavior, not your code
4. Over-engineering — Simplify abstractions that only have one implementation
5. Naming — Rename vague variables (data, result, temp, x)
6. Error handling — Remove catch blocks that just re-throw, add handling where it's actually needed
7. Consistency — Match existing code style and patterns in the codebase

Usage

After implementing a feature:

"Review all the changes we just made. De-sloppify: remove dead code, debug artifacts,
tests of language behavior, and over-engineering. Run the test suite after cleanup."

When to Use

• After any implementation that touched 3+ files
• After a rapid prototyping session
• Before creating a PR
• After a long debugging session that left artifacts