refactor

Surgical code refactoring to improve maintainability without changing behavior.

github/awesome-copilot|Updated Apr 16, 2026

Works with

Claude CodeCursorClineWindsurfCodexGoose

What it does

Covers 10 common code smells: long methods, duplication, large classes, long parameter lists, feature envy, primitive obsession, magic numbers, nested conditionals, dead code, and inappropriate intimacy
Includes extract method, extract class, and introduce type safety patterns with before/after examples
Provides design pattern refactoring strategies: Strategy, Chain of Responsibility, and others for repla

Repository

github/awesome-copilot

Last updated

Apr 16, 2026

Installation Guide

Select your AI agent

How to use refactor on Cursor

AI-first code editor with Composer

Prerequisites

Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:

›Cursor installed and configured on your machine
›Node.js 16+ with npm — verify with node --version
›Active project directory where you want to add refactor

Run the install command

Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:

$npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill refactor

Fetches refactor from github/awesome-copilot and configures it for Cursor.

Select Cursor when prompted

The CLI shows a list of agents. Use arrow keys and space to select Cursor:

◆ Which agents do you want to install to?

│

│ ── Universal (.agents/skills) ────────────────

│ · Cline · Codex · Goose · Windsurf

│ ●Cursor(selected)

│ · Cursor · Aider · Continue

Verify installation

Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:

.cursor/skills/refactor

Restart Cursor to activate refactor. Access via /refactor in your agent's command palette.

⚠

Security Notice

We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.

Skills execute code in your environment. Always review source, verify the publisher, and test in isolation before production.

›View source on GitHub ›Skills CLI docs ›About Cursor ›What are agent skills?

Documentation

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Use Cases

User Story & Requirements Generation

Create detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, and feature specs

Example

Generate user stories for 'password reset feature' with acceptance criteria, edge cases, and test scenarios

✓

Reduce spec writing time by 50%, ensure comprehensive coverage

Competitive Analysis

Research competitors, compare features, identify gaps

Example

Analyze 5 competitor products, create feature comparison matrix, suggest differentiation opportunities

✓

Complete competitive research in 2 hours instead of 2 days

Roadmap Prioritization

Evaluate features using frameworks (RICE, ICE, Kano) and create prioritized backlogs

Example

Score 20 feature ideas using RICE framework, generate prioritized roadmap with rationale

Refactoring Principles

The Golden Rules

Behavior is preserved - Refactoring doesn't change what the code does, only how

Small steps - Make tiny changes, test after each

Version control is your friend - Commit before and after each safe state

Tests are essential - Without tests, you're not refactoring, you're editing

One thing at a time - Don't mix refactoring with feature changes

When NOT to Refactor

- Code that works and won't change again (if it ain't broke...) - Critical production code without tests (add tests first) - When you're under a tight deadline - "Just because" - need a clear purpose

Common Code Smells & Fixes

1. Long Method/Function

# BAD: 200-line function that does everything - async function processOrder(orderId) { - // 50 lines: fetch order - // 30 lines: validate order - // 40 lines: calculate pricing - // 30 lines: update inventory - // 20 lines: create shipment - // 30 lines: send notifications - } # GOOD: Broken into focused functions + async function processOrder(orderId) { + const order = await fetchOrder(orderId); + validateOrder(order); + const pricing = calculatePricing(order); + await updateInventory(order); + const shipment = await createShipment(order); + await sendNotifications(order, pricing, shipment); + return { order, pricing, shipment }; + }

2. Duplicated Code

# BAD: Same logic in multiple places - function calculateUserDiscount(user) { - if (user.membership === 'gold') return user.total * 0.2; - if (user.membership === 'silver') return user.total * 0.1; - return 0; - } - - function calculateOrderDiscount(order) { - if (order.user.membership === 'gold') return order.total * 0.2; - if (order.user.membership === 'silver') return order.total * 0.1; - return 0; - } # GOOD: Extract common logic + function getMembershipDiscountRate(membership) { + const rates = { gold: 0.2, silver: 0.1 }; + return rates[membership] || 0; + } + + function calculateUserDiscount(user) { + return user.total * getMembershipDiscountRate(user.membership); + } + + function calculateOrderDiscount(order) { + return order.total * getMembershipDiscountRate(order.user.membership); + }

3. Large Class/Module

# BAD: God object that knows too much - class UserManager { - createUser() { /* ... */ } - updateUser() { /* ... */ } - deleteUser() { /* ... */ } - sendEmail() { /* ... */ } - generateReport() { /* ... */ } - handlePayment() { /* ... */ } - validateAddress() { /* ... */ } - // 50 more methods... - } # GOOD: Single responsibility per class + class UserService { + create(data) { /* ... */ } + update(id, data) { /* ... */ } + delete(id) { /* ... */ } + } + + class EmailService { + send(to, subject, body) { /* ... */ } + } + + class ReportService { + generate(type, params) { /* ... */ } + } + + class PaymentService { + process(amount, method) { /* ... */ } + }

4. Long Parameter List

# BAD: Too many parameters - function createUser(email, password, name, age, address, city, country, phone) { - /* ... */ - } # GOOD: Group related parameters + interface UserData { + email: string; + password: string; + name: string; + age?: number; + address?: Address; + phone?: string; + } + + function createUser(data: UserData) { + /* ... */ + } # EVEN BETTER: Use builder pattern for complex construction + const user = UserBuilder + .email('[email protected]') + .password('secure123') + .name('Test User') + .address(address) + .build();

5. Feature Envy

# BAD: Method that uses another object's data more than its own - class Order { - calculateDiscount(user) { - if (user.membershipLevel === 'gold') { + return this.total * 0.2; + } ✓ Make data-driven prioritization decisions faster Stakeholder Communication Draft PRDs, status updates, and stakeholder presentations Example Create executive summary of Q3 roadmap, monthly progress report, feature launch announcement ✓Save 3-5 hours/week on communication overhead Implementation Guide Prerequisites ›Claude Desktop or compatible AI client ›Access to product documentation and roadmap tools (Jira, Notion, etc.) ›Understanding of product management frameworks (RICE, Jobs-to-be-Done, etc.) ›Stakeholder contact information and communication channels Time Estimate 30-60 minutes to see productivity improvements Steps 1Install product management skill 2Start with user story generation for known feature 3Progress to competitive analysis: research 2-3 competitors 4Use for roadmap prioritization: apply RICE/ICE scoring 5Draft stakeholder communications and refine based on feedback 6Build template library for recurring PM tasks 7Share effective prompts with product team Common Pitfalls ⚠Not validating competitive research—verify facts before sharing ⚠Accepting user stories without involving engineering team ⚠Over-relying on frameworks without qualitative judgment ⚠Not customizing outputs to company culture and communication style ⚠Skipping stakeholder validation of generated requirements Best Practices ✓ Do +Validate research and competitive analysis with real data +Collaborate with engineering when generating technical requirements +Customize frameworks and templates to your company context +Use skill for first drafts, refine with stakeholder input +Document successful prompt patterns for PM tasks +Combine AI efficiency with human judgment and intuition ✗ Don't −Don't publish competitive analysis without fact-checking −Don't finalize user stories without engineering review −Don't make prioritization decisions solely on AI scoring −Don't skip customer validation of generated requirements −Don't ignore company-specific context and culture 💡 Pro Tips ★Provide context: company goals, constraints, customer feedback ★Ask for alternatives: 'Show 3 ways to prioritize this roadmap' ★Request stakeholder-specific formatting: 'Executive summary vs. engineering spec' ★Use skill for 70% generation + 30% customization to company needs When to Use This ✓ Use when Use for user story writing, competitive research, roadmap prioritization, stakeholder communication, and PRD drafting. Best for reducing repetitive documentation and research work. ✗ Avoid when Avoid for strategic product vision (requires deep customer empathy), pricing decisions (needs market and financial expertise), or when face-to-face customer discovery is more valuable than speed. Learning Path 1Basic: user stories, feature specs, status updates 2Intermediate: competitive analysis, prioritization frameworks, PRDs 3Advanced: product strategy, go-to-market planning, OKR setting 4Expert: product vision, market positioning, business model innovation Related Skills premium-frontend-ui 181 github/awesome-copilot Frontendsame repojava-springboot 42 github/awesome-copilot Backendsame repogrill-me 394 mattpocock/skills Productivitysame categorypremortem 199 parcadei/continuous-claude-v3 Productivitysame categorydeslop 122 cursor/plugins Productivitysame categoryframer-motion 100 pproenca/dot-skills Productivitysame category Reviews 4.6★★★★★42 reviews I Isabella Gupta★★★★★Dec 4, 2024 Useful defaults in refactor — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows. H Henry Yang★★★★★Dec 4, 2024 Keeps context tight: refactor is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc. Y Yash Thakker★★★★★Nov 27, 2024 refactor fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos. A Aanya Brown★★★★★Nov 23, 2024 We added refactor from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront. L Liam Ramirez★★★★★Nov 23, 2024 refactor is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows. D Dhruvi Jain★★★★★Oct 18, 2024 refactor has been reliable in day-to-day use. Documentation quality is above average for community skills. A Aanya Khanna★★★★★Oct 14, 2024 refactor reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility. D Dev Shah★★★★★Oct 14, 2024 Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: refactor is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install. O Oshnikdeep★★★★★Sep 21, 2024 refactor reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility. H Henry Chen★★★★★Sep 21, 2024 refactor is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows. showing 1-10 of 42 1 / 5 Discussion Comments — not star reviews No comments yet — start the thread.

refactor

What it does

Category

Repository

Last updated

Installation Guide

How to use refactor on Cursor

Prerequisites

Run the install command

Select Cursor when prompted

Verify installation

Security Notice

Documentation

List & Monetize Your Skill

Use Cases

User Story & Requirements Generation

Competitive Analysis

Roadmap Prioritization

Install Skill

Refactor

Overview

When to Use

Refactoring Principles

The Golden Rules

When NOT to Refactor

Common Code Smells & Fixes

1. Long Method/Function

2. Duplicated Code

3. Large Class/Module

4. Long Parameter List

5. Feature Envy

Stakeholder Communication

Implementation Guide

Best Practices

When to Use This

Learning Path

Related Skills

premium-frontend-ui

java-springboot

grill-me

premortem

deslop

framer-motion

Reviews

Discussion