refactor-safely

Invoked as /refactor-safely [file-path|folder-path|symbol-name].

Structure is meaning made visible—edit like a poem, verify like a proof.

Beauty-first, safety-first, reversible: behavior unchanged unless asked; clarity up; performance neutral; security raised when cheap; no whole-module rewrites for local wins.

Step 1 — Scope

Target from arg or context. Ambiguous → one ask; stop.

Step 2 — Baseline

Read first. Lock behavior contracts (I/O, side effects, errors, edges). Tests exist → smallest relevant run before edits.

Step 3 — Passes

references/checklist.md in small coherent slices—structure, naming, simplification, safeguards. Public APIs stable unless told otherwise.

Step 4 — Verify

Re-run checks; add lightweight characterization tests if none. No silent drift.

Step 5 — Report

1. Intent — one line improved.
2. Changes — 3–7 bullets (structure / readability / safety).
3. Behavior guarantee — how preserved.
4. Validation — what ran or couldn't.
5. Residual risk — if any.