ai-slop-cleaner git:20260502.509093eA

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---
name: ai-slop-cleaner
description: Run an anti-slop cleanup workflow on AI-generated code — regression-tests-first, smell-by-smell, behavior preserved.
---

## Purpose

Reduce AI-generated code bloat through systematic, smell-by-smell cleanup that preserves existing behavior and raises signal quality.

## When to Use

- A code path works but feels bloated, noisy, repetitive, or over-abstracted.
- A user asks to "cleanup", "refactor", or "deslop" AI-generated output.
- Follow-up implementation left duplicate code, dead code, weak boundaries, or missing tests.
- A disciplined cleanup workflow is needed without broad rewrites.

This skill accepts an optional **file list scope**. If a changed-files list is provided, keep the cleanup strictly bounded to those files.

## Inputs

- Codebase or module to clean (or explicit file list scope).
- Existing test suite (required — behavior must be locked before editing).

## Workflow

1. **Lock behavior with regression tests first**
   - Identify the behavior that must not change.
   - Add or run targeted regression tests before touching cleanup candidates.
   - If behavior is currently untested, write the narrowest test coverage needed first.

2. **Create a cleanup plan before code**
   - List the specific smells to remove.
   - Bound the pass to the requested files/scope.
   - Order fixes from safest/highest-signal to riskiest.
   - Do not start coding until the cleanup plan is explicit.

3. **Categorize issues**
   - **Duplication** — repeated logic, copy-paste branches, redundant helpers
   - **Dead code** — unused code, unreachable branches, stale flags, debug leftovers
   - **Needless abstraction** — pass-through wrappers, speculative indirection, single-use helper layers
   - **Boundary violations** — hidden coupling, leaky responsibilities, wrong-layer imports or side effects
   - **Missing tests** — behavior not locked, weak regression coverage, gaps around edge cases

4. **Execute passes one smell at a time**
   - Pass 1: Dead code deletion
   - Pass 2: Duplicate removal
   - Pass 3: Naming and error handling cleanup
   - Pass 4: Test reinforcement
   - Re-run targeted verification after each pass.
   - Do not bundle unrelated refactors into the same edit set.

5. **Run quality gates**
   - Regression tests stay green.
   - Lint passes.
   - Typecheck passes.
   - Relevant unit/integration tests pass.
   - Diff stays minimal and scoped.
   - No new abstractions or dependencies unless explicitly required.

## Output

```
AI SLOP CLEANUP REPORT
======================

Scope: [files or feature area]
Behavior Lock: [targeted regression tests added/run]
Cleanup Plan: [bounded smells and order]

Passes Completed:
1. Dead code deletion - [concise fix]
2. Duplicate removal - [concise fix]
3. Naming/error handling cleanup - [concise fix]
4. Test reinforcement - [concise fix]

Quality Gates:
- Regression tests: PASS/FAIL
- Lint: PASS/FAIL
- Typecheck: PASS/FAIL
- Tests: PASS/FAIL

Changed Files:
- [path] - [simplification]

Remaining Risks:
- [none or short deferred item]
```

## Verification

- [ ] Regression tests written or confirmed before any edits
- [ ] Cleanup plan explicit before coding started
- [ ] Each pass limited to one smell category
- [ ] Quality gates pass after each pass
- [ ] Diff is minimal and scoped — no unrelated changes

## Failure Modes

- **Editing before tests** — Never clean up code whose behavior isn't locked by tests.
- **Multi-smell passes** — Bundling smell categories into one large refactor makes verification impossible.
- **Scope creep** — If given a file list scope, stay within it. Do not expand to adjacent files.