Dotnet Complexity

.NET Complexity Review

Trigger On

• the team wants to find overly complex methods
• cyclomatic complexity thresholds are needed in CI
• maintainability metrics or coupling thresholds need to be configured

Value

• produce a concrete project delta: code, docs, config, tests, CI, or review artifact
• reduce ambiguity through explicit planning, verification, and final validation skills
• leave reusable project context so future tasks are faster and safer

Do Not Use For

• formatting-only work
• generic analyzer setup with no complexity policy change

Inputs

• the nearest AGENTS.md
• current analyzer settings
• current maintainability limits

Quick Start

1. Read the nearest AGENTS.md and confirm scope and constraints.
2. Run this skill's Workflow through the Ralph Loop until outcomes are acceptable.
3. Return the Required Result Format with concrete artifacts and verification evidence.

Workflow

1. Start with the built-in maintainability analyzers before reaching for non-standard tooling.
2. Use these rules deliberately:
   • CA1502 for excessive cyclomatic complexity in methods
   • CA1505 for low maintainability index
   • CA1506 for excessive class coupling
   • CA1501 when inheritance depth is also part of the design problem
3. Keep rule severity in the root .editorconfig.
4. Keep metric thresholds in a checked-in CodeMetricsConfig.txt added as AdditionalFiles.
5. Pair analyzer findings with MCAF maintainability limits in AGENTS.md.

Bootstrap When Missing

If complexity thresholds are not configured yet:

1. Detect current state:
   • rg -n "CA1501|CA1502|CA1505|CA1506|CodeMetricsConfig" -g '.editorconfig' -g '*.csproj' -g 'Directory.Build.*' .
   • rg --files -g 'CodeMetricsConfig.txt'
2. Add severity entries for CA1502, CA1505, CA1506, and CA1501 in root .editorconfig.
3. Add checked-in CodeMetricsConfig.txt and include it as AdditionalFiles in project props.
4. Keep maintainability limits aligned with AGENTS.md.
5. Run dotnet build SOLUTION_OR_PROJECT and return status: configured or status: improved.
6. If policy relies only on AGENTS.md limits with no analyzer gate by design, return status: not_applicable.

Deliver

• explicit complexity and maintainability policy
• checked-in metric thresholds
• CI commands that surface complex methods early

Validate

• method-complexity checks are enabled where the repo wants them
• thresholds are versioned in repo, not held in IDE memory
• complexity findings map to real refactoring decisions

Ralph Loop

Use the Ralph Loop for every task, including docs, architecture, testing, and tooling work.

1. Plan first (mandatory):
   • analyze current state
   • define target outcome, constraints, and risks
   • write a detailed execution plan
   • list final validation skills to run at the end, with order and reason
2. Execute one planned step and produce a concrete delta.
3. Review the result and capture findings with actionable next fixes.
4. Apply fixes in small batches and rerun the relevant checks or review steps.
5. Update the plan after each iteration.
6. Repeat until outcomes are acceptable or only explicit exceptions remain.
7. If a dependency is missing, bootstrap it or return status: not_applicable with explicit reason and fallback path.

Required Result Format

• status: complete | clean | improved | configured | not_applicable | blocked
• plan: concise plan and current iteration step
• actions_taken: concrete changes made
• validation_skills: final skills run, or skipped with reasons
• verification: commands, checks, or review evidence summary
• remaining: top unresolved items or none

For setup-only requests with no execution, return status: configured and exact next commands.

Load References

• references/complexity.md
• references/metrics.md
• references/config.md

Example Requests

• "Which analyzer finds complex methods in .NET?"
• "Add a complexity gate for our C# code."
• "Configure cyclomatic complexity thresholds."