Production Clean Python

Production Clean — Python / Django

Prepare your Python/Django project for production. Detect, clean, and report all unnecessary code pollution.

Stack Detection

This skill is for Python and Django projects. Verify manage.py or pyproject.toml exists before proceeding. If the project contains only package.json, use production-clean-js skill instead.

STEP 1 — Scan (Do Not Touch Anything Yet)

Scan the entire project. Do not modify anything. Collect all findings into a list.

print / debug statements to detect:

print(
pprint(
pp(          ← pretty-print shortcut
ic(          ← icecream debug library
breakpoint(
import pdb
pdb.set_trace()
import ipdb
ipdb.set_trace()

Unused imports to detect:

• Any module that is imported but never referenced in the file
• from x import y where y is never used
• import os present but no os. usage anywhere in the file
• Star imports that shadow names: from module import *

Unused variables to detect:

• Variables that are assigned but never read afterward
• Function parameters not prefixed with _ but never used inside the function
• Loop variables that are defined but never used inside the loop body

Unnecessary comments to detect:

• Lines containing # TODO, # FIXME, # HACK, # TEMP, # test, # debug
• Commented-out code blocks
• Temporary # noqa suppressions
• Meaningless inline comments: # increment i, # return result

STEP 2 — Ask for Confirmation

Display this summary before touching anything:

📋 SCAN RESULTS — Python / Django

┌─────────────────────────────────────┬────────┐
│ Category                            │ Count  │
├─────────────────────────────────────┼────────┤
│ 🔴 print / debug statements        │  XX    │
│ 🟡 Unused imports                  │  XX    │
│ 🟡 Unused variables                │  XX    │
│ 🔵 Unnecessary comments            │  XX    │
├─────────────────────────────────────┼────────┤
│ TOTAL                               │  XX    │
└─────────────────────────────────────┴────────┘

Affected files: XX

Would you like to proceed? (Yes / No / Select by category)

• No → Stop. Do not modify anything.
• Select by category → Ask approval per category.

STEP 3 — Cleanup

Once approved, clean in this exact order:

1. print / debug statements
2. Unused imports
3. Unused variables — re-check after import cleanup
4. Unnecessary comments

Never Touch:

• settings.py — never touch under any circumstances
• migrations/ — never touch anything inside this folder
• # type: ignore comments — may be intentional, ask first
• # noqa suppressions — may be intentional, ask first
• Docstrings ("""...""") — documentation, never remove

Django Specific — Extra Caution:

• __init__.py — imports here may be part of the public API, ask before removing
• urls.py — imports may be used via lazy URL loading, verify carefully before removing
• admin.py — @admin.register(Model) decorators must never be removed
• signals.py / apps.py — @receiver signal handlers may look unused but are active at runtime, never remove
• apps.py → ready() — signal imports here are intentional, never remove

Before Modifying Each File:

1. Read the current file
2. Apply the change
3. Verify syntax is still valid — if broken, revert immediately

STEP 4 — Final Report

Save as production-clean-report.md:

# Production Clean Report — Python / Django
**Date:** [date]
**Project:** [project name]

## Summary

| Category              | Detected | Removed | Skipped |
|-----------------------|----------|---------|---------|
| print / debug         | XX       | XX      | XX      |
| Unused imports        | XX       | XX      | XX      |
| Unused variables      | XX       | XX      | XX      |
| Unnecessary comments  | XX       | XX      | XX      |
| **TOTAL**             | **XX**   | **XX**  | **XX**  |

## Affected Files

| File | Changes | Categories |
|------|---------|------------|
| app/views.py       | 3 | print, unused import   |
| app/serializers.py | 1 | unused variable        |

## Skipped / Requires Manual Review

- `app/settings.py` — not touched (by rule)
- `app/migrations/` — not touched (by rule)
- `app/signals.py:14` — @receiver handler, kept intentionally

## Notes
- Total files scanned: XX
- Files modified: XX
- Estimated lines removed: ~XX

Error Handling

If a syntax error occurs after modifying a file:

1. Revert that file to its original state
2. Note the error in the report
3. Continue with remaining files
4. Add it to the "requires manual review" list