Behavior-preserving simplification pass on code that already works. Distinct from design-smell-review (structural critique before change) and refactor-legacy-python-pr (scoped legacy cleanup PRs).
When to use
Feature is done and tested; complexity exceeds need
Review feedback says "over-engineered"
Preparing a focused hygiene PR
When not to use
Bug is still open (fix behavior first)
Large architectural rewrite (use incremental-implementation)
No tests and behavior is unclear (add tests or spike first)
Workflow
Baseline — confirm tests pass or define minimal manual checks
Inventory — list simplification targets (unused code, deep nesting, duplicate logic, premature abstraction)
One change at a time — small commits; run tests after each
Stop — when readability improves without expanding scope
Safe simplifications
Remove dead code and unused imports
Inline one-use helpers when they obscure flow
Replace cleverness with explicit steps
Consolidate duplicate validation or mapping
Narrow public API surface if callers allow
Avoid
Drive-by renames across unrelated files
Changing behavior "while you're here"
Removing abstractions that enable testing or extension without evidence
1---2name: code-simplification-23description: Code Simplification4---56# Code Simplification78Behavior-preserving simplification pass on code that already works. Distinct from `design-smell-review` (structural critique before change) and `refactor-legacy-python-pr` (scoped legacy cleanup PRs).910## When to use1112- Feature is done and tested; complexity exceeds need13- Review feedback says "over-engineered"14- Preparing a focused hygiene PR1516## When not to use1718- Bug is still open (fix behavior first)19- Large architectural rewrite (use `incremental-implementation`)20- No tests and behavior is unclear (add tests or spike first)2122## Workflow23241. **Baseline** — confirm tests pass or define minimal manual checks252. **Inventory** — list simplification targets (unused code, deep nesting, duplicate logic, premature abstraction)263. **One change at a time** — small commits; run tests after each274. **Stop** — when readability improves without expanding scope2829## Safe simplifications3031- Remove dead code and unused imports32- Inline one-use helpers when they obscure flow33- Replace cleverness with explicit steps34- Consolidate duplicate validation or mapping35- Narrow public API surface if callers allow3637## Avoid3839- Drive-by renames across unrelated files40- Changing behavior "while you're here"41- Removing abstractions that enable testing or extension without evidence4243## Verification4445- Same inputs → same outputs46- No new linter/type errors47- Diff stays reviewable (< ~300 lines unless agreed)4849## Related skills5051- `design-smell-review` — before deciding what to simplify52- `test-first-development` — lock behavior before deleting code53- `verify-before-done` — evidence before claiming complete5455*Adapted from [addyosmani/agent-skills](https://github.com/addyosmani/agent-skills) (MIT).*
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Code Simplification It is listed under Productivity on SkillMD.
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charlieviettq (@charlieviettq) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.
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