# Hard Cut

> Remove a feature completely with no backward compatibility. Use when the user says "hard cut", "rip it out", "delete it", "unship", "kill this feature", or wants dead code removed instead of deprecated. Delete the surface, callers, tests, docs, comments, fallbacks, and stubs.

- Skill: `udecode/hard-cut` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add udecode/hard-cut`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/udecode/hard-cut/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: udecode (https://skillmd.com/u/udecode)
- Updated: 2026-09-09
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/udecode/hard-cut

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# Hard Cut

Use this when a feature should die, not linger.

## Rules

- Delete the surface. Do not deprecate it.
- Do not leave `throw new Error("Not implemented")`, placeholder notices,
  "feature removed" banners, or TODOs about bringing it back unless the user
  explicitly asks.
- Do not keep compatibility aliases, deprecated shims, fallback parsing,
  migration bridges, or dead exports.
- Delete tests for deleted behavior. Keep tests only for the behavior that
  still exists.
- Delete comments that describe deleted code or mourn the old feature.
- If removal exposes adjacent dead code, keep cutting until the graph is clean.

## Sweep

1. Find the real surface area:
   - exports
   - commands and flags
   - routes
   - UI entrypoints
   - feature flags
   - docs and examples
2. Trace references with `rg`.
3. Delete the implementation and the glue:
   - call sites
   - types
   - state
   - tests
   - docs
   - comments
4. Grep again for the removed name and obvious aliases.
5. Run the narrowest honest verification for the surviving product.

## Smells

- deprecated notices
- not-implemented throws
- stub handlers
- dead enum or union members
- permanently-false feature-flag branches
- unused env vars and config
- tests that only prove the deleted feature used to exist

## Bias

If the choice is between deleting more code and leaving a zombie seam, delete
more code.