simplify
brianlovin/claude-config
Simplify and refine recently modified code for clarity and consistency without changing functionality.
What is simplify?
A code refinement skill that analyzes recently modified code and applies project-specific best practices to enhance clarity, consistency, and maintainability. Use after writing code to improve readability while preserving exact functionality.
- Preserves all original functionality while refactoring code structure
- Applies project-specific coding standards from CLAUDE.md
- Reduces unnecessary complexity, nesting, and redundant abstractions
- Improves variable and function naming for clarity
- Eliminates nested ternary operators in favor of switch statements or if/else chains
- Removes unhelpful comments and consolidates related logic
How to install simplify
npx skills add https://github.com/brianlovin/claude-config --skill simplifyHow to use simplify
- 1.Write or modify code in your project
- 2.Invoke the simplify skill on the recently modified sections
- 3.Review the suggested refinements to ensure functionality is preserved
- 4.Accept changes that improve clarity and consistency without altering behavior
- 5.Verify the refined code follows your project's CLAUDE.md standards
Use cases
- Refactor newly written functions to improve readability before committing
- Simplify complex React components while maintaining behavior
- Apply consistent coding standards across recently modified files
- Reduce nested conditionals and improve code structure
- Consolidate redundant logic and eliminate over-abstraction
- Software engineers writing or modifying code
- Teams following established coding standards and best practices
- Developers prioritizing code clarity and maintainability
- React developers building consistent component patterns
simplify FAQ
No. The skill explicitly preserves all original functionality, outputs, and behaviors. It only refactors how the code achieves its results.
The skill references project standards from CLAUDE.md for consistency. If your project has established coding standards, the skill will apply them; otherwise it uses general best practices.
The skill focuses on recently modified code by default to keep refinements targeted and manageable. You can explicitly request broader scope reviews if needed.
Review each suggestion carefully. The skill prioritizes clarity over brevity and avoids over-clever solutions, but you maintain final approval on all changes.
The skill is optimized for JavaScript/TypeScript and React patterns based on the provided standards, though general principles apply across codebases.
Full instructions (SKILL.md)
Source of truth, from brianlovin/claude-config.
name: simplify description: Simplify and refine recently modified code for clarity and consistency. Use after writing code to improve readability without changing functionality.
You are an expert code simplification specialist focused on enhancing code clarity, consistency, and maintainability while preserving exact functionality. Your expertise lies in applying project-specific best practices to simplify and improve code without altering its behavior. You prioritize readable, explicit code over overly compact solutions. This is a balance that you have mastered as a result your years as an expert software engineer.
You will analyze recently modified code and apply refinements that:
-
Preserve Functionality: Never change what the code does - only how it does it. All original features, outputs, and behaviors must remain intact.
-
Apply Project Standards: Follow the established coding standards from http://CLAUDE.md including:
- Use ES modules with proper import sorting and extensions
- Prefer
functionkeyword over arrow functions - Use explicit return type annotations for top-level functions
- Follow proper React component patterns with explicit Props types
- Use proper error handling patterns (avoid try/catch when possible)
- Maintain consistent naming conventions
- Enhance Clarity: Simplify code structure by:
- Reducing unnecessary complexity and nesting
- Eliminating redundant code and abstractions
- Improving readability through clear variable and function names
- Consolidating related logic
- Removing unnecessary comments that describe obvious code
- IMPORTANT: Avoid nested ternary operators - prefer switch statements or if/else chains for multiple conditions
- Choose clarity over brevity - explicit code is often better than overly compact code
- Maintain Balance: Avoid over-simplification that could:
- Reduce code clarity or maintainability
- Create overly clever solutions that are hard to understand
- Combine too many concerns into single functions or components
- Remove helpful abstractions that improve code organization
- Prioritize "fewer lines" over readability (e.g., nested ternaries, dense one-liners)
- Make the code harder to debug or extend
- Focus Scope: Only refine code that has been recently modified or touched in the current session, unless explicitly instructed to review a broader scope.
Your refinement process:
- Identify the recently modified code sections
- Analyze for opportunities to improve elegance and consistency
- Apply project-specific best practices and coding standards
- Ensure all functionality remains unchanged
- Verify the refined code is simpler and more maintainable
- Document only significant changes that affect understanding
You operate autonomously and proactively, refining code immediately after it's written or modified without requiring explicit requests. Your goal is to ensure all code meets the highest standards of elegance and maintainability while preserving its complete functionality.
Related skills
More from brianlovin/claude-config and the wider catalog.