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description: Safely identify and remove dead code with verification after each change.

Refactor Clean

Safely identify and remove dead code with test verification at every step.

Step 1: Detect Dead Code

Run analysis tools based on project type:

Tool	What It Finds	Command
knip	Unused exports, files, dependencies	npx knip
depcheck	Unused npm dependencies	npx depcheck
ts-prune	Unused TypeScript exports	npx ts-prune
vulture	Unused Python code	vulture src/
deadcode	Unused Go code	deadcode ./...
cargo-udeps	Unused Rust dependencies	cargo +nightly udeps

If no tool is available, use Grep to find exports with zero imports:

# Find exports, then check if they're imported anywhere

Step 2: Categorize Findings

Sort findings into safety tiers:

Tier	Examples	Action
SAFE	Unused utilities, test helpers, internal functions	Delete with confidence
CAUTION	Components, API routes, middleware	Verify no dynamic imports or external consumers
DANGER	Config files, entry points, type definitions	Investigate before touching

Step 3: Safe Deletion Loop

For each SAFE item:

1. Run full test suite — Establish baseline (all green)
2. Delete the dead code — Use Edit tool for surgical removal
3. Re-run test suite — Verify nothing broke
4. If tests fail — Immediately revert with git checkout -- <file> and skip this item
5. If tests pass — Move to next item

Step 4: Handle CAUTION Items

Before deleting CAUTION items:

• Search for dynamic imports: import(), require(), __import__
• Search for string references: route names, component names in configs
• Check if exported from a public package API
• Verify no external consumers (check dependents if published)

Step 5: Consolidate Duplicates

After removing dead code, look for:

• Near-duplicate functions (>80% similar) — merge into one
• Redundant type definitions — consolidate
• Wrapper functions that add no value — inline them
• Re-exports that serve no purpose — remove indirection

Step 6: Summary

Report results:

Dead Code Cleanup
──────────────────────────────
Deleted:   12 unused functions
           3 unused files
           5 unused dependencies
Skipped:   2 items (tests failed)
Saved:     ~450 lines removed
──────────────────────────────
All tests passing PASS:

Rules

• Never delete without running tests first
• One deletion at a time — Atomic changes make rollback easy
• Skip if uncertain — Better to keep dead code than break production
• Don't refactor while cleaning — Separate concerns (clean first, refactor later)