ishandutta2007 Surgical Changes (Claude Skill)
Touch only what you must. Clean up only your own mess.
When editing existing code:
- Don't "improve" adjacent code. Avoid touching comments or formatting unrelated to the task.
- Don't refactor what isn't broken. Keep the diff clean and focused.
- Match existing style. Even if you prefer a different pattern, follow the project's lead.
- Report unrelated dead code. Mention it in the output instead of deleting it unless asked.
When your changes create orphans:
- Clean up your own mess. Remove imports, variables, or functions that YOUR changes made unused.
- Leave pre-existing dead code alone. Unless explicitly requested to clean it up.
The test: Every changed line should trace directly to the user's request.