Produce a refactor plan before touching code

When to use

A piece of code needs refactoring but you fear a direct edit will ripple; you want a reviewable plan first.

Preparation

Host version

To fill (record the exact rc version when testing)

Model

To fill

Mode / permissions

Standard mode + modify-within-workspace is enough to start

Plugins required

None (add name & version after testing if used)

Input materials

Keep in a separate workspace; back up originals first

Full instruction

For [target file / module], produce a refactor plan. Do NOT modify any code.

The plan includes:
1. Current problems: what is awkward and why it is hard to maintain (file:line).
2. Target structure: what it looks like after, with key call relationships.
3. Step-by-step: what each step does, which files it touches, how it preserves behavior.
4. Risk and rollback: which step is riskiest and how to revert.
5. Acceptance: how to prove success without regressions.

Requirements: each step must be independently committable and revertible; no big-bang rewrite.

Copy full instruction

Run log

Output

After a successful run, list files and screenshots here, and note whether originals changed.

Acceptance checklist

Tap to tick each item off as you verify.

• Plan changed no code
• Each step is independently committable and revertible
• The riskiest step is flagged
• Actionable acceptance criteria given

Failures & boundaries

• A plan is not approval to execute; human review needed
• Pilot large modules in small scope first
• This is a recipe template and has not been tested on this site
• Blocked on: Same as code-review: needs a real repo with real debt. A refactor plan for synthetic code always reads correctly because that code has no traps.

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