ai-slop-cleaner

AI Slop Cleaner

Detect and fix common AI-generated code anti-patterns. Behavior-preserving cleanup — no logic changes, only readability and quality improvements.

Phase 0: Load Project Context

Read if exists:

1. AGENTS.md — project conventions, coding style
2. .editorconfig or linter configs — formatting rules

Use this context to: distinguish project conventions from AI slop (e.g., the project MAY want verbose comments).

When to Use

• After AI-assisted implementation (post Phase 3 in dev-orchestrator)
• Before code review (catch slop before reviewers waste time on it)
• Standalone cleanup pass on existing codebase

Detection Checklist

Category 1: Redundant Comments (MOST COMMON)

// This function returns the user      <- states the obvious
// Import the http package             <- describes the import
// Create a new instance               <- describes the constructor
// Check if the value is nil           <- restates the code
// TODO: implement this                <- left by AI, not real TODO

Action: Remove comments that restate what the code already says. Keep comments that explain WHY, not WHAT.

Category 2: Unnecessary Abstractions

// One-use helper wrapping a single call
func getUserByID(db *sql.DB, id string) (*User, error) {
    return db.QueryRow("SELECT ...").Scan(...)
}
// Called exactly ONCE

Action: Inline one-use helpers. If a function is called once and its name matches what it does, it's noise.

Category 3: Over-Engineering

• Feature flags for non-configurable behavior
• Backwards-compatibility shims with zero consumers
• Strategy/factory patterns for 1 implementation
• Generic types where concrete types suffice
• Interface for a single implementation (no testing need)

Action: Replace with direct, simple code. YAGNI.

Category 4: Template/Boilerplate Slop

• Empty error handlers (catch (e) {})
• Unused function parameters (especially _ placeholders)
• Default switch/match cases that can't be reached
• Unnecessary type assertions on already-typed values
• Re-exporting types that are never imported from the re-export