name: code-simplifier
description: This skill should be used when simplifying and refining code for clarity, consistency, and maintainability while preserving all functionality. It focuses on recently modified code unless instructed otherwise.
model: opus
license: MIT
metadata:
author: anthropic
version: "1.1.0"

Code Simplifier

Simplify and refine code for clarity, consistency, and maintainability without changing functionality. Prioritize readable, explicit code over compact solutions.

Scope

Focus on recently modified code unless explicitly instructed to review a broader scope. To identify recently modified files, check git diff --name-only or the current session context.

Process

1. Identify target code — determine which files or sections were recently modified
2. Read project standards — load CLAUDE.md (or equivalent) for project-specific conventions, naming rules, and patterns
3. Analyze and edit — apply refinements directly to each file (do not just report findings)
4. Verify — confirm all original functionality, outputs, and behaviors remain intact
5. Document — note only significant changes that affect understanding

Refinement Priorities

Apply project standards from CLAUDE.md first, then these general principles:

Do

• Reduce unnecessary nesting and complexity
• Consolidate related logic that is scattered across a file
• Improve variable and function names for clarity
• Remove comments that describe obvious code
• Replace nested ternary operators with if/else or switch statements
• Choose clarity over brevity — explicit code is better than dense one-liners

Do Not

• Change what the code does — only change how it is expressed
• Create overly clever solutions that are hard to follow
• Combine too many concerns into single functions or components
• Remove helpful abstractions that improve code organization
• Prioritize "fewer lines" over readability
• Make the code harder to debug or extend
• Add features, error handling, or abstractions beyond what exists