post-removal-sweep

name	post-removal-sweep
description	Exhaustive multi-pattern search after removing a code pattern to ensure no remnants remain in any code path.
generated_from_knowledge	["79c669de-e985-4551-9f32-ab457d6ef096","267d5ca2-f61f-4633-a906-7b0db0643972","c6fc3b48-7099-4254-afba-8ae2112f6027"]
confidence	1
status	active

Post-Removal Sweep

After removing a code pattern (e.g. a hardcoded default, a deprecated function, a config property), run an exhaustive sweep to ensure zero remnants remain across all code paths.

Trigger

Use this skill when:

• Removing a hardcoded value that was used as a fallback or default
• Deleting a function, property, or module that was referenced in multiple places
• Finishing any task where the acceptance criteria includes "no references remain"
• A reviewer or council flags a pattern for a completeness sweep

Pattern Derivation Guide

Before you start the sweep, identify ALL categories of the pattern. The removed pattern can appear in many forms:

Category	Search variants	Example target
Direct assignment	= value, = "value", = 'value'	vault_id = 1
Fallback/default	.get(key, fallback), ?? fallback, || fallback, or fallback	record.get("vault_id", "1")
SQL/schema	DEFAULT value, NOT NULL DEFAULT value	vault_id INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 1
String literal	"value", 'value', f"...{value}"	df["vault_id"] = "1"
Backfill/migration	.fillna(value), COALESCE(col, value)	df["vault_id"].fillna("1")
Return value	return value	return 1
Config property	Property name, getter method	orphan_vault_id
Interface field	TypeScript/Python field declaration	is_default?: boolean
Import reference	import, from ... import	from app.migrations.audit_vault_defaults import run_audit

For each category, construct a search pattern appropriate to your removed value.

Required Procedure

After the primary change is implemented, run ALL of the following checks:

1. Multi-variant grep for the removed pattern

Run EACH variant pattern separately — don't combine them into one regex.

Example for removing a hardcoded value like 1:

# Direct assignment and defaults
grep -rn '= 1\b' --include="*.py" --include="*.ts" --include="*.tsx" <backend_dir/> <frontend_dir/>
grep -rn '= "1"' --include="*.py" --include="*.ts" --include="*.tsx" <backend_dir/> <frontend_dir/>

# Fallback/get patterns
grep -rn '\.get(' --include="*.py" <backend_dir/>
grep -rn '\?\?' --include="*.ts" --include="*.tsx" <frontend_dir/>
grep -rn '||' --include="*.ts" --include="*.tsx" <frontend_dir/>

# Property/field names you removed
grep -rn '<removed_property_name>' --include="*.py" --include="*.ts" --include="*.tsx" <backend_dir/> <frontend_dir/>
grep -rn '<removed_function_name>' --include="*.py" --include="*.ts" --include="*.tsx" <backend_dir/> <frontend_dir/>

Substitute <backend_dir/> <frontend_dir/> and the removed value for your project.

2. Check configuration and environment files

Search for the removed pattern in:

• .env.example, .env, environment templates
• docker-compose.yml, docker-compose.*.yml
• config.yaml, config.toml, settings.*
• CI workflow files (.github/workflows/*.yml)

3. Check database schemas and migrations

Search for the removed default/fallback in:

• Schema definitions (CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE)
• Migration scripts
• ORM model field definitions
• Seed data files

4. Check documentation for stale behavior

Search README.md, docs/, and any markdown files for:

• Descriptions of the old behavior
• Examples that reference the removed pattern
• Warning messages / log messages that no longer exist
• Configuration documentation that mentions the removed property

5. Check test assertions for old behavior

Search test files for:

• Assertions that expect the old behavior (e.g. assert vault_id == 1)
• Mock setup that references the removed property
• Test names that describe the now-removed behavior
• Test fixtures or factories that use the old default

6. Verify no imports remain

If a module was deleted, grep for any import of that module across ALL languages:

# Python
grep -rn "from <deleted_module>" --include="*.py"
grep -rn "import <deleted_module>" --include="*.py"

# TypeScript/JavaScript
grep -rn "import.*<deleted_module>" --include="*.ts" --include="*.tsx"
grep -rn "require.*<deleted_module>" --include="*.ts" --include="*.tsx" --include="*.js"

7. Verify CI passes with the changes

Run the full CI suite (lint + test + build). If CI was green before the removal, any new failure indicates a missed reference.

Exit Criteria

The sweep is complete when:

• All search patterns return zero matches in production code
• Documentation is updated (no stale behavior descriptions)
• Configuration and environment files are clean
• Test files asserting old behavior are updated or deleted
• CI is green (lint + tests + build pass)

Forbidden Shortcuts

• Do NOT rationalize any remaining reference as "intentional" or "migration-only". End-to-end removal means EVERY last reference.
• Do NOT skip documentation checks — doc drift silently creates operator confusion.
• Do NOT combine multiple search variants into one regex — each variant catches different usage patterns.
• Do NOT assume auto-generated test files should be kept — delete one-time verification tests after review.
• Do NOT skip environment/configuration files — hardcoded defaults often live there.

Delegation Template

When delegating a sweep task:

SKILLS: file:.opencode/skills/generated/post-removal-sweep/SKILL.md
TASK: Sweep for remaining <pattern> references after <primary change>
SEARCH_PATTERNS:
  - <pattern 1> (e.g., = "1", = 1)
  - <pattern 2> (e.g., .get("vault_id", "1"))
  - <pattern 3> (e.g., fillna("1"))
FILES_TO_SCAN: <backend_dir>/, <frontend_dir>/, docs/
CHECK_DOCS: true
CHECK_CONFIG: true

Reviewer Checks

• Verify each search pattern category from the Pattern Derivation Guide was covered
• Verify the result for each pattern — zero matches in production code
• Verify documentation was checked, not just production code
• Verify test files asserting old behavior were updated or deleted
• Verify configuration and environment files were swept
• Any remaining reference must be accompanied by a code comment with a GitHub issue reference