refactor

Safe code refactoring requires establishing a baseline test run, stashing current git diffs for rollback safety, and applying incremental changes one at a time with validation after each step. This ensures existing functionality remains intact throughout the process.

Code refactoring techniques include extracting functions, renaming variables, simplifying conditionals, reducing duplication, improving types, and restructuring modules. These methods target specific code smells to improve overall readability and maintainability.

Planning a module-wide refactoring involves analyzing the code to identify opportunities, establishing a test baseline, and creating a clear refactoring plan. Changes are applied incrementally and documented in a detailed Refactoring Report for traceability.

Guided refactoring integrates with git workflows by stashing current diffs before making changes to ensure rollback safety. This allows developers to safely apply incremental code changes and verify them against a baseline test run.

Tracing code refactoring changes is best achieved by generating a detailed Refactoring Report after applying planned changes. This report documents the incremental modifications, validation results, and baseline comparisons for full project traceability.

Incremental code refactoring should be avoided when a baseline test run cannot be established, as validation at each step requires a passing test suite to ensure rollback safety and prevent breaking existing functionality.