gitnexus-refactoring

---
name: gitnexus-refactoring
description: "Optional GitNexus workflow. Use only when the user explicitly requests GitNexus; never a prerequisite for ordinary code work."
---

## Optional scope

Use this skill only when the user explicitly requests GitNexus. It is not a prerequisite for exploring, editing, refactoring, reviewing, or committing code. Do not invoke it or reindex automatically. Otherwise, trace direct callers and imports in source, inspect the diff, and run the relevant normal tests and checks.

# Refactoring with GitNexus

## When to Use

- "Rename this function safely"
- "Extract this into a module"
- "Split this service"
- "Move this to a new file"
- Any task involving renaming, extracting, splitting, or restructuring code

## Workflow

```
1. gitnexus_impact({target: "X", direction: "upstream"})  → Map all dependents
2. gitnexus_query({query: "X"})                            → Find execution flows involving X
3. gitnexus_context({name: "X"})                           → See all incoming/outgoing refs
4. Plan update order: interfaces → implementations → callers → tests
```

> If "Index is stale" → run `npx gitnexus analyze` in terminal.

## Checklists

### Rename Symbol

```
- [ ] gitnexus_rename({symbol_name: "oldName", new_name: "newName", dry_run: true}) — preview all edits
- [ ] Review graph edits (high confidence) and ast_search edits (review carefully)
- [ ] If satisfied: gitnexus_rename({..., dry_run: false}) — apply edits
- [ ] gitnexus_detect_changes() — verify only expected files changed
- [ ] Run tests for affected processes
```

### Extract Module

```
- [ ] gitnexus_context({name: target}) — see all incoming/outgoing refs
- [ ] gitnexus_impact({target, direction: "upstream"}) — find all external callers
- [ ] Define new module interface
- [ ] Extract code, update imports
- [ ] gitnexus_detect_changes() — verify affected scope
- [ ] Run tests for affected processes
```

### Split Function/Service

```
- [ ] gitnexus_context({name: target}) — understand all callees
- [ ] Group callees by responsibility
- [ ] gitnexus_impact({target, direction: "upstream"}) — map callers to update
- [ ] Create new functions/services
- [ ] Update callers
- [ ] gitnexus_detect_changes() — verify affected scope
- [ ] Run tests for affected processes
```

## Tools

**gitnexus_rename** — automated multi-file rename:

```
gitnexus_rename({symbol_name: "validateUser", new_name: "authenticateUser", dry_run: true})
→ 12 edits across 8 files
→ 10 graph edits (high confidence), 2 ast_search edits (review)
→ Changes: [{file_path, edits: [{line, old_text, new_text, confidence}]}]
```

**gitnexus_impact** — map all dependents first:

```
gitnexus_impact({target: "validateUser", direction: "upstream"})
→ d=1: loginHandler, apiMiddleware, testUtils
→ Affected Processes: LoginFlow, TokenRefresh
```

**gitnexus_detect_changes** — verify your changes after refactoring:

```
gitnexus_detect_changes({scope: "all"})
→ Changed: 8 files, 12 symbols
→ Affected processes: LoginFlow, TokenRefresh
→ Risk: MEDIUM
```

**gitnexus_cypher** — custom reference queries:

```cypher
MATCH (caller)-[:CodeRelation {type: 'CALLS'}]->(f:Function {name: "validateUser"})
RETURN caller.name, caller.filePath ORDER BY caller.filePath
```

## Risk Rules

| Risk Factor         | Mitigation                                |
| ------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| Many callers (>5)   | Use gitnexus_rename for automated updates |
| Cross-area refs     | Use detect_changes after to verify scope  |
| String/dynamic refs | gitnexus_query to find them               |
| External/public API | Version and deprecate properly            |

## Example: Rename `validateUser` to `authenticateUser`

```
1. gitnexus_rename({symbol_name: "validateUser", new_name: "authenticateUser", dry_run: true})
   → 12 edits: 10 graph (safe), 2 ast_search (review)
   → Files: validator.ts, login.ts, middleware.ts, config.json...

2. Review ast_search edits (config.json: dynamic reference!)

3. gitnexus_rename({symbol_name: "validateUser", new_name: "authenticateUser", dry_run: false})
   → Applied 12 edits across 8 files

4. gitnexus_detect_changes({scope: "all"})
   → Affected: LoginFlow, TokenRefresh
   → Risk: MEDIUM — run tests for these flows
```