---
name: refactoring
description: "Explicitly preserve behavior while improving structure; identify unnecessary abstraction and avoid scope creep."
---

# Refactoring Skill

Explicitly preserve behavior while improving structure; identify unnecessary abstraction and avoid scope creep.

## Subagents
When you need to delegate sub‑tasks, use the `pi-subagents` skill.

**Example:** When refactoring a legacy module, use a **scout** to identify all call sites of the `legacy::utils` functions, another **scout** to map the test coverage for each, and an **implementer** to inline or replace them incrementally while a **reviewer** ensures behavior is preserved.

*You may adapt the delegation pattern to fit the exact requirements of the codebase.*

## Principles

### Preserve Behavior
- Run tests before and after
- Make incremental changes
- Verify at each step

### Improve Structure
- Reduce duplication
- Clarify intent
- Improve modularity

### Avoid Scope Creep
- One refactoring at a time
- No new features
- No style-only changes in same commit

### Identify Unnecessary Abstraction
- Remove unused interfaces
- Inline single-use functions
- Flatten deep hierarchies

### Run tools
- Use refactoring tools like formatters/linters when available