code-cleaner_skill

Overview

This skill refactors Python projects to remove technical debt, eliminate dead code, and enforce SOLID principles without changing runtime behavior. I act as a code janitor: cleaning style issues, removing unreachable code, and restructuring large modules while preserving all external behavior. The goal is safer, more maintainable code and reduced software rot risk.

How this skill works

I follow a deterministic, multi-step refactoring workflow: run an automated sanitation pass, perform static analysis to detect unused or unreachable code, and apply structural refactors guided by SOLID principles. I never add features or alter observable behavior; I only restructure, extract, and remove code that is dead or harmful. For Python, I also review startup GC tuning and suggest safe adjustments when appropriate.

When to use it

• Before major feature work to reduce risk and make the codebase easier to extend.
• When the repository shows signs of software rot: many unused imports, long functions, or unreachable branches.
• Prior to or after a code audit to implement hygiene and SOLID-based improvements.
• When you need to reduce runtime surprises while keeping behavior identical for clients.
• When preparing a legacy system for safe incremental modernization.

Best practices

• Always run the automated sanitation script first to fix whitespace, imports, and lint issues deterministically.
• Keep the Two Hats protocol: refactor-only passes must not introduce new features or behavioral changes.
• Flag and split any function >50 lines or files >200 lines; prefer small, single-responsibility units.
• Remove zombie code (unused endpoints, shadowed variables, unreachable branches) after verifying tests cover behavior.
• Document any GC tuning suggestions and validate them under representative load before deployment.

Example use cases

• Run a refactor pass on a legacy Python service that has accumulated dead endpoints and large controller files.
• Shrink a monolithic module by extracting business logic into small classes that follow SOLID dependencies.
• Clean a codebase before onboarding new developers so the repo is readable and tests map to behavior.
• Perform a pre-release hygiene sweep to remove unreachable branches and reduce maintenance risk.