refactor

Safe refactoring requires enforcing test-first changes and traceability to prevent regressions. You define scope boundaries, update or add tests, and validate changes using regression checks to ensure no new features are added during the process.

A code refactoring process requires a minimum of 80% test coverage. Reaching this threshold before making changes ensures existing behavior is validated, allowing scoped module updates to proceed safely without introducing regressions.

Defining safe boundaries for refactoring across modules or services requires scope analysis. This process identifies targeted ranges, ensuring structural changes remain isolated and traceable while preventing unintended side effects.

You cannot add new features while performing a test-driven code refactor. The process strictly enforces scope boundaries to isolate structural improvements, requiring a formal rewrite plan if new functionality is necessary.

A formal plan for rewriting code is necessary when standard scoped refactoring cannot achieve the desired maintainability goals. This approach outlines structural rewrites while maintaining test-first validation and regression checks.

Documentation traceability integrates into a refactoring workflow through the DevDocs system. This tracks scope analysis, test updates, and structural changes, ensuring code-quality collaboration throughout the module improvement process.