Refactoring with GitNexus
When to Use
- "Rename this function safely"
- "Extract this into a module"
- "Split this service"
- "Move this to a new file"
- Any task involving renaming, extracting, splitting, or restructuring code
Workflow
1. impact({target: "X", direction: "upstream"}) → Map all dependents
2. query({search_query: "X"}) → Find execution flows involving X
3. context({name: "X"}) → See all incoming/outgoing refs
4. Plan update order: interfaces → implementations → callers → tests
If "Index is stale" → run node .gitnexus/run.cjs analyze in terminal.
Checklists
Rename Symbol
- [ ] rename({symbol_name: "oldName", new_name: "newName", dry_run: true}) — preview all edits
- [ ] Review graph edits (high confidence) and text_search edits (review carefully)
- [ ] If satisfied: rename({..., dry_run: false}) — apply edits
- [ ] detect_changes() — verify only expected files changed
- [ ] Run tests for affected processes
Extract Module
- [ ] context({name: target}) — see all incoming/outgoing refs
- [ ] impact({target, direction: "upstream"}) — find all external callers
- [ ] Define new module interface
- [ ] Extract code, update imports
- [ ] detect_changes() — verify affected scope
- [ ] Run tests for affected processes
Split Function/Service
- [ ] context({name: target}) — understand all callees
- [ ] Group callees by responsibility
- [ ] impact({target, direction: "upstream"}) — map callers to update
- [ ] Create new functions/services
- [ ] Update callers
- [ ] detect_changes() — verify affected scope
- [ ] Run tests for affected processes
Tools
rename — automated multi-file rename:
rename({symbol_name: "validateUser", new_name: "authenticateUser", dry_run: true})
→ 12 edits across 8 files
→ 10 graph edits (high confidence), 2 text_search edits (review)
→ Changes: [{file_path, edits: [{line, old_text, new_text, confidence}]}]
impact — map all dependents first:
impact({target: "validateUser", direction: "upstream"})
→ d=1: loginHandler, apiMiddleware, testUtils
→ Affected Processes: LoginFlow, TokenRefresh
detect_changes — verify your changes after refactoring:
detect_changes({scope: "all"})
→ Changed: 8 files, 12 symbols
→ Affected processes: LoginFlow, TokenRefresh
→ Risk: MEDIUM
cypher — custom reference queries:
MATCH (caller)-[:CodeRelation {type: 'CALLS'}]->(f:Function {name: "validateUser"})
RETURN caller.name, caller.filePath ORDER BY caller.filePath
Risk Rules
| Risk Factor | Mitigation |
|---|
| Many callers (>5) | Use rename for automated updates |
| Cross-area refs | Use detect_changes after to verify scope |
| String/dynamic refs | query to find them |
| External/public API | Version and deprecate properly |
Example: Rename validateUser to authenticateUser
1. rename({symbol_name: "validateUser", new_name: "authenticateUser", dry_run: true})
→ 12 edits: 10 graph (safe), 2 text_search (review)
→ Files: validator.ts, login.ts, middleware.ts, config.json...
2. Review text_search edits (config.json: dynamic reference!)
3. rename({symbol_name: "validateUser", new_name: "authenticateUser", dry_run: false})
→ Applied 12 edits across 8 files
4. detect_changes({scope: "all"})
→ Affected: LoginFlow, TokenRefresh
→ Risk: MEDIUM — run tests for these flows