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ponytail-audit

Audit entire repositories for over-engineered code and dead dependencies.

Updated Jun 26, 2026
Search Tags:#code review#technical debt#code audit#over-engineering#repo scan#code bloat
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/marmelab/atomic-crm-demo-art-teaching --skill ponytail-audit-marmelab
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: ponytail-audit
Source: https://github.com/marmelab/atomic-crm-demo-art-teaching/tree/main/.claude/skills/ponytail-audit
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/marmelab/atomic-crm-demo-art-teaching --skill ponytail-audit-marmelab

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

Manually scanning entire codebases for over-engineered code, dead code, and unnecessary dependencies is time-consuming and prone to missing hidden bloat. This Skill automates that process to help you quickly identify opportunities to simplify your codebase and reduce maintenance burden.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Whole-Repo Scanning: Audits the entire codebase instead of just recent diffs to catch all forms of bloat.
  • Ranked Findings: Lists issues sorted by potential impact, with the biggest line cut opportunities first.
  • Categorized Bloat Tags: Labels each finding with its type (delete, stdlib, native, yagni, shrink) to clarify the required action.
  • Use Case: A developer working on a long-running project can use this audit to identify unused dependencies, hand-rolled utilities that match standard library functions, and single-implementation abstractions to streamline the codebase.

Quick Start

Use the ponytail-audit skill to scan the current repository and get a ranked list of code to delete, simplify, or replace with standard library equivalents.

Frequently Asked Questions about ponytail-audit

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I audit a whole repository for over-engineering and technical debt?▼

Performing a whole-repository audit scans the entire codebase to identify over-engineered code, dead code, unnecessary dependencies, and redundant abstractions. It outputs a ranked, actionable report without applying automatic fixes.

What is the best way to find dead code and unnecessary dependencies in my codebase?▼

Finding dead code and unnecessary dependencies requires an automated whole-repo scan that categorizes each finding by bloat type. This process identifies unused imports, hand-rolled utilities, and single-implementation abstractions to cut.

How do I scan my codebase to reduce code bloat and maintenance burden?▼

Scanning to reduce code bloat involves auditing the full codebase to find shrink opportunities, standard library replacements, and YAGNI violations. Findings are ranked by potential line reduction impact to prioritize simplification.

Can I use a repo scan to identify redundant abstractions across an entire software project?▼

A whole-repo scan can identify redundant abstractions across any software project. It targets single-implementation abstractions and unnecessary dependencies, categorizing them by action type to minimize long-term maintenance burden.

Does a code audit automatically fix over-engineered code and delete dead code?▼

A code audit does not automatically fix over-engineered code or delete dead code. It generates an actionable report ranking findings by potential line reduction impact, leaving the actual codebase simplification to the developer.

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