Template: Refactoring Plan
Author: Principal Engineer Date: YYYY-MM-DD Status: Draft | In Review | Approved Related Issue: [GitHub Issue link]
Motivation
Section titled “Motivation”Why this refactoring is needed. Reference specific code smells, technical debt, recurring bugs or new requirements that the current structure cannot support cleanly.
Current State
Section titled “Current State”Describe the current implementation:
- Affected modules: [list of modules/components]
- Key files: [list of primary files involved]
- Pain points: [specific issues with the current structure]
Target State
Section titled “Target State”Describe the desired implementation after refactoring:
- New structure: [how the code will be organized]
- New patterns: [any new abstractions or patterns introduced]
- Benefits: [what problems this solves]
Risk Assessment
Section titled “Risk Assessment”| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regression in existing functionality | Medium | High | Comprehensive test suite before refactoring |
| Merge conflicts with in-progress work | Medium | Medium | Coordinate timing via Team Lead |
| Incomplete migration leaves dual patterns | Low | High | Complete all steps in a single release cycle |
Migration Steps
Section titled “Migration Steps”Ordered, incremental steps. Each step should leave the codebase in a working state.
Step 1: [Preparation]
Section titled “Step 1: [Preparation]”- What: [Description of changes]
- Why: [Why this step comes first]
- Verification: [How to confirm this step is complete and correct]
- Assigned to: [Back End Engineer | Front End Engineer]
Step 2: [Core Change]
Section titled “Step 2: [Core Change]”- What: [Description of changes]
- Why: [Why this depends on Step 1]
- Verification: [How to confirm this step is complete and correct]
- Assigned to: [Back End Engineer | Front End Engineer]
Step 3: [Cleanup]
Section titled “Step 3: [Cleanup]”- What: [Remove old code, update references]
- Why: [Prevent dual patterns from persisting]
- Verification: [How to confirm cleanup is complete]
- Assigned to: [Back End Engineer | Front End Engineer]
Rollback Strategy
Section titled “Rollback Strategy”If the refactoring must be abandoned mid-way, describe how to revert to the current state safely.
Open Questions and Decisions
Section titled “Open Questions and Decisions”| # | Question | Options | Recommendation | Decision |
|---|
Testing Requirements
Section titled “Testing Requirements”- All existing tests pass at each step.
- New tests added for: [new patterns or abstractions]
- Acceptance tests verified after final step.
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