refactor-clean

Safely identify and remove dead code with test verification at every step. Use when Codex needs to clean unused exports, files, dependencies, helpers, wrappers, re-exports, or duplicate code without risking regressions. Trigger for dead-code cleanup, unused dependency audits, stale utility removal, cleanup refactors, or requests to reduce code safely before or alongside maintenance work.

Best for Code maintenanceWorks with GitHubHigh risk

#dead code removal #cleanup #refactoring #test verification #dependency audit

⌘source

author: @julianromli
repo: julianromli/ai-skills
language: Shell

✦overview.md

Key Features

·Conservative cleanup loop
·Categorizes findings as SAFE, CAUTION, DANGER
·Removes one item at a time with test verification
·Establishes baseline before cleanup
·Skips risky items unless user requests
·Supports ecosystem-specific dead code detection

Use Cases

→Removing unused exports and files before a major refactor
→Auditing and removing stale dependencies
→Cleaning up duplicate utility functions after integration
→Safe elimination of dead code in a modular monolith

Best for

✓Code maintenance
✓Pre-refactor cleanup
✓Large codebases with test suites

Not ideal for

!One-off scripts
!Prototypes without tests
!Legacy code without test coverage

FAQs

skills/refactor-clean/SKILL.md

name

refactor-clean

description

Refactor Clean

Use a conservative cleanup loop. Prefer keeping uncertain code over deleting something with hidden runtime or external consumers.

Workflow

Establish a baseline.
Detect dead code with language-appropriate tools.
Categorize findings into SAFE, CAUTION, or DANGER.
Remove one SAFE item at a time.
Re-run verification after every deletion.
Investigate CAUTION items before touching them.
Skip DANGER items unless the user explicitly wants deeper investigation.
Consolidate obvious duplicates only after dead-code cleanup is stable.

Establish A Baseline

Run the smallest meaningful baseline first, then the broader project checks required by the repo.
Record whether the suite already fails before cleanup starts.
Do not treat newly discovered pre-existing failures as caused by the cleanup.
If the baseline is red in the target area, pause and tell the user before deleting code.

Detect Dead Code

Choose tools by ecosystem. Prefer the project's package manager and existing scripts where possible.

Tool	What it finds	Command
`knip`	Unused exports, files, dependencies	`npx knip`

...

$install

1-click copy

npx skills add julianromli/ai-skills --skill refactor-clean

Safety assessment

★

Clarity score

How clear and easy to understand the SKILL.md instructions are, rated from 1 to 5.

4/ 5

very good

Clear and well structured, with only minor parts that might need a second read.

◎

Actionability score

How directly an agent can act on the SKILL.md instructions, rated from 1 to 5.

3/ 5

medium

Partially actionable with several concrete steps, but still missing important details.

~community cookbook

May 8, 2026

◧ Compare

refactor-clean

Best for Code maintenanceWorks with GitHubHigh risk

Refactor Clean

Use a conservative cleanup loop. Prefer keeping uncertain code over deleting something with hidden runtime or external consumers.

Workflow

Establish a baseline.

Detect dead code with language-appropriate tools.

Categorize findings into SAFE, CAUTION, or DANGER.

Remove one SAFE item at a time.

Re-run verification after every deletion.

Investigate CAUTION items before touching them.

Skip DANGER items unless the user explicitly wants deeper investigation.

Consolidate obvious duplicates only after dead-code cleanup is stable.

Establish A Baseline

Run the smallest meaningful baseline first, then the broader project checks required by the repo.

Record whether the suite already fails before cleanup starts.

Do not treat newly discovered pre-existing failures as caused by the cleanup.

If the baseline is red in the target area, pause and tell the user before deleting code.

Detect Dead Code

Choose tools by ecosystem. Prefer the project's package manager and existing scripts where possible.

Tool

What it finds

Command

knip

Unused exports, files, dependencies

npx knip

refactor-clean

Key Features

Use Cases

Best for

Not ideal for

FAQs

How does it determine if code is safe to remove?

What happens if a test fails after removal?

Can it handle external consumers?

Refactor Clean

Workflow

Establish A Baseline

Detect Dead Code

Safety assessment

Clarity score

Actionability score

~community cookbook

~you might also like

build-plan

multi-agent-architect

tangram-execute

rare-disease-rnaseq

autonomous-agent-patterns

validation

AI Skill Finder

refactor-clean

Key Features

Use Cases

Best for

Not ideal for

FAQs

How does it determine if code is safe to remove?

What happens if a test fails after removal?

Can it handle external consumers?

Refactor Clean

Workflow

Establish A Baseline

Detect Dead Code

Safety assessment

Clarity score

Actionability score

~community cookbook

~you might also like

build-plan

multi-agent-architect

tangram-execute

rare-disease-rnaseq

autonomous-agent-patterns

validation