skills.rest
mintuz
mintuzCOMMUNITY
Explore all skills by this author →
WebsiteGitHub

simplify

Reviews code changes and simplifies names, comments, and structure without altering behavior.

3|Updated Nov 8, 2014
Search Tags:#code review#refactoring#clean code#readability#comments#simplification#naming
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/mintuz/.dotfiles --skill simplify-mintuz
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: simplify
Source: https://github.com/mintuz/.dotfiles/tree/main/agents/.agents/skills/simplify
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/mintuz/.dotfiles --skill simplify-mintuz

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Code that works is often still hard to read: bloated names, redundant comments, and overfitted logic left over from the development conversation. This Skill reviews finished code before human review and tightens wording, naming, and structure without changing behavior. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Word Choice Review: Applies Orwell's rules to variable names, function names, and comments, preferring short Anglo-Saxon words over Latinate jargon. - Structural Simplification: Reorders files with the inverted pyramid, splits monoliths into single-concept modules, merges overlapping concepts, and removes derivable state. - Overfitting Detection: Removes names, comments, and backwards-compatibility shims that only make sense in the context of the current branch or conversation. - Use Case: After finishing a feature branch, run this Skill to prune redundant comments, rename hedged identifiers like lastObservedDiskContent to baseline, and drop compatibility code for unshipped APIs before opening a pull request. ## Quick Start Review the changes in my current branch and simplify names, comments, and structure without changing behavior.

Frequently Asked Questions about simplify

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I clean up code before a pull request review?▼

Run a simplification pass over the branch's changes: shorten names, delete comments that restate obvious code, and remove compatibility shims for code that never shipped. This Skill applies those rules without changing behavior and runs existing checks afterward.

How to write better code comments?▼

Comments should state the non-obvious constraint the code cannot show, in plain English. Delete comments that narrate change history or restate self-evident behavior, and add doc comments only where functions have complex behavior or side effects.

What makes a good variable or function name?▼

Good names use one word per concept, cut words the surrounding context already carries, and prefer short Anglo-Saxon words over Latinate jargon. Compound names like lastObservedDiskContent usually signal a hedge; a single word like baseline reads better.

Does simplifying code change its behavior?▼

No. The review only touches naming, comments, and structure within the specified scope, and the relevant existing checks are run after changes to confirm behavior is preserved.

When should I remove backwards compatibility code?▼

Remove compatibility shims when the old signature, alias, or data shape only existed earlier in the same unshipped branch. Supporting code that was never deployed adds concepts readers must hold without serving any real user.

Related Skills

Explore More Software Engineering Skills→
Rekan-MaqsoudRekan-Maqsoud

tdd-workflow

Enforce test-driven development with unit, integration, and end-to-end tests.

Community
Advanced
xxrenzhexxrenzhe

prepare-pr

Rebase GitHub pull requests onto main and apply review fixes.

Community
Advanced
Zenobia000Zenobia000
2

plankton-code-quality

Run formatters and linters on every file edit in Claude Code.

Community
Advanced
codemodcodemod
1.1k

codemod

Search, run, and author codemod packages for automated code migrations with the Codemod CLI.

Official
Advanced