Visibility Modifier Reviewer

visibility-modifier-reviewer

Purpose

Review public, protected, internal/package, and private surfaces for minimal exposure and clean APIs.

Trigger this skill when

• Too much surface area is public.
• Internal helpers leak into the API.
• You want a tighter module or class contract.

Expected inputs

• class/interface definitions
• module/package boundaries
• consumers
• test surface
• security or safety concerns

Deliverables

• surface-area findings
• overexposure risks
• modifier recommendations
• API cleanup notes
• recommended changes

Operating procedure

1. Identify the object-oriented concern this skill is meant to assess.
2. Separate facts from inferred design intent.
3. Review the current structure against OOP fundamentals: responsibility, invariants, ownership, exposure, abstraction, and lifecycle where relevant.
4. Surface concrete risks, tradeoffs, and improvement options.
5. Prefer minimal structural change that materially improves clarity or safety.
6. Hand off to the next most relevant skill if the issue is broader than this skill alone can resolve.

Quality gates

• Findings are tied to concrete code structure or stated design intent.
• Recommendations explain why, not just what.
• Tradeoffs are stated when multiple designs could work.
• Output avoids style nitpicks unless they affect abstraction or maintainability.

Handoff targets

• encapsulation-reviewer
• class-responsibility-checker
• api-contract-writer if present

Output style

• Be explicit about uncertainty.
• Prefer short, evidence-based findings over long vague critique.
• Distinguish design defects from mere preference.
• End with recommended next actions.

Failure modes to avoid

• Do not invent framework constraints without evidence.
• Do not recommend sweeping refactors without naming the benefit.
• Do not confuse naming/style issues with true design problems unless they affect abstraction.
• Do not force inheritance, immutability, or statics as ideology.

Minimum output skeleton

## Summary
## Findings
## Risks
## Recommendations
## Tradeoffs
## Recommended next skill