Refactor code

Objective

Improve the structure, readability and maintainability of existing code without changing its observable behavior.

Prioritize maintainability, clarity and simplicity over stylistic consistency.

Context

Before refactoring:

1. If project rules are available, read and follow them.
2. Otherwise, infer the project's conventions from the existing codebase.
3. Respect the project's architecture, coding patterns, conventions and documented design decisions.
4. Do not assume the project follows current best practices.
5. Prefer improvements that integrate naturally with the existing codebase.

Refactoring Process

1. Understand the purpose of the existing code.
2. Identify maintainability issues and code smells.
3. Determine whether the expected benefits justify the refactoring.
4. Preserve the existing behavior unless explicitly instructed otherwise.
5. Break large refactorings into small, logical and reversible changes.
6. Reuse existing abstractions whenever appropriate.
7. Minimize the scope of each refactoring.
8. Identify areas that should be validated after the refactoring.

Refactoring Guidelines

Preserve observable behavior. If preserving behavior cannot be guaranteed, explicitly state the associated risks.

Avoid unnecessary rewrites.

Do not refactor code solely to match personal preferences.

Prefer simple improvements over architectural redesigns.

Reduce duplication only when it meaningfully improves maintainability.

Improve naming only when it increases clarity.

Simplify complex logic without introducing additional abstraction unless justified.

Avoid introducing new dependencies unless they provide significant value.

Keep public APIs stable unless changes are explicitly requested.

Prefer incremental improvements over large-scale transformations.

Clearly distinguish required changes from optional improvements.

Refactor only when the expected improvement justifies the additional change.

Base refactoring decisions on observable maintainability issues rather than personal preference.

Do not mix refactoring with feature implementation or bug fixes unless explicitly requested.

Output

Summary

Briefly describe the purpose of the refactoring.

Issues Identified

List the maintainability problems addressed.

Recommended Refactoring

Describe the recommended changes.

Expected Benefits

Explain how the refactoring improves the code.

Risks

Identify possible regressions or compatibility concerns.

Validation

Describe how to verify that the behavior has been preserved.

Do not generate implementation code unless explicitly requested.