Code Analyzer

Code Analyzer Skill

Overview

Use this skill to provide focused code quality reviews for the tbdflow codebase. The goal is to surface maintainability risks, code smells, and refactoring options with clear, actionable guidance.

When to Use

• Reviewing a feature, module, or pull request for code quality.
• Assessing technical debt or refactoring scope.
• Identifying maintainability, readability, or performance risks.

When Not to Use

• Security reviews (use the security skill).
• Architectural discovery or ADRs (use the architect skill).
• Test design or acceptance coverage planning (use the atdd-developer skill).

Instructions

Analysis Focus

• Identify code smells and anti-patterns.
• Evaluate complexity, cohesion, and coupling.
• Check consistency with project standards and Rust/Clap CLI conventions.
• Suggest pragmatic, low-risk refactors.
• Cross-check Rust-specific findings including ownership, lifetimes, error handling (Result/anyhow), and idiomatic patterns.

Rust-Specific Concerns

• Ownership & Borrowing: Unnecessary clones, lifetime issues, or overly complex borrow patterns.
• Error Handling: Proper use of Result, ? operator, anyhow context, and thiserror for custom errors.
• Option Handling: Avoid excessive .unwrap(), prefer ?, if let, or map/and_then.
• Trait Usage: Appropriate use of Clone, Debug, Default, Serialize/Deserialize.
• Module Structure: Clear separation of concerns across modules (cli, config, git, etc.).
• CLI Patterns: Proper Clap derive usage, argument conflicts, and help text quality.

Consultation

• When proposing Rust refactors, consider idiomatic patterns from the Rust API Guidelines.
• If changes affect behaviour, recommend a test update and note any integration test impact.

Analysis Criteria

• Readability: clear naming, simple flows, meaningful doc comments (///).
• Maintainability: small functions, focused modules/structs, low cyclomatic complexity.
• Performance: no obvious bottlenecks, wasteful allocations, or blocking in async contexts.
• Safety: avoid unsafe unless justified, handle all Result/Option properly.
• Best Practices: pragmatic use of patterns, DRY/KISS, predictable error handling with context.

Code Smell Signals

• Long functions (about 50+ lines).
• Large modules (about 500+ lines without clear sub-modules).
• Duplicate or dead code.
• Complex conditionals or deeply nested match/if let chains.
• Excessive .unwrap() or .expect() without justification.
• Unnecessary .clone() calls (ownership issues).
• God modules or structs with too many responsibilities.
• Stringly-typed data instead of enums or newtypes.

Code Smell Catalogue (Reference)

Use this catalogue as a reference when naming smells and explaining impact. Keep it concise in reports and only expand when a smell is confirmed.

• Bloaters: Large Module, Long Function, Long Parameter List, Data Clump.
• Change Preventers: Shotgun Surgery, Divergent Change, Tight Coupling.
• Couplers: Feature Envy, Message Chain, Leaky Abstractions.
• Dispensables: Dead Code, Duplicate Code, Lazy Module, Unused Dependencies.
• Rust-Specific: Clone Abuse, Unwrap Panic Risk, Lifetime Complexity, Missing Error Context.
• Naming/Clarity: Uncommunicative Name, Inconsistent Names, Misleading Comments, Poor Module Docs.

Sources

• Martin Fowler, Refactoring (1999/2018)
• Robert C. Martin, Clean Code (2008)
• Rust API Guidelines
• Clippy Lints
• The Rust Book - Idiomatic Patterns
• Error Handling in Rust

Output Expectations

• Provide findings ordered by severity with file and line references.
• Offer concrete refactoring suggestions with minimal disruption.
• Call out positive patterns to reinforce good practice (e.g., proper error handling, clean module boundaries).
• Use a concise report format when the review is extensive.
• Note any Clippy warnings or Rust idiom improvements.
• When refactors are proposed, consider ownership implications and test coverage.

Devlog

• Save every review in .github/devlog/YYYY-MM-DD-review.md.
• Record any refactoring carried out based on review findings in .github/devlog/YYYY-MM-DD-activity.md.
• Use this format for activity entries: [AGENT_NAME] -> [ACTION_TAKEN] -> [RESULT/LINK].

Preferred Report Shape

## Code Quality Review

### Findings

1. [Severity] Issue summary
    - File: path/to/file.rs:line
    - Why it matters: ...
    - Suggested change: ...

### Clippy / Compiler Warnings

- ...

### Positives

- ...

### Risks / Follow-ups

- ...

Notes

• Keep the tone clear, inclusive, and action-oriented.
• Prefer evidence-based observations over speculation.
• When unsure, propose a small experiment to validate the issue.
• If a refactor changes behaviour, recommend an acceptance test update or new test first.

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