forge-quench

Forge Quench — Code Simplification Skill

Named after the metallurgical quenching process — rapidly cooling hot metal simplifies its crystal structure and hardens it.

Trigger

"Simplify this code" / "Reduce complexity" / "Clean up before review" / "Quench this module" / "Code is too complex"

Steps

1. Measure Complexity

Identify the most complex functions in the target files. Use language-appropriate static analysis:

# Generic: count lines per function, nesting depth, branches
# Stack-specific variants override this step with proper tools
grep -rn "function\|def \|func \|fn \|public.*(" <target> | head -20

List the top 3–5 most complex functions by:

• Line count (functions >50 lines)
• Nesting depth (>3 levels of indentation)
• Branch count (>5 if/else/switch branches)
• Parameter count (>4 parameters)

If no functions exceed thresholds: Report "No simplification candidates found" and STOP with a PASS.

2. Understand First (Chesterton's Fence)

Before simplifying ANY code, document WHY the complexity exists.

For each candidate function:

1. Read the git blame to find when and why it was written
2. Check if comments explain the reasoning
3. Look for edge cases the complexity handles (null checks, retry logic, fallback paths)
4. Document your understanding in a brief note

| Function | Lines | Why Complex | Still Valid? | Action |
|----------|-------|-------------|-------------|--------|
| processOrder() | 87 | Handles 3 payment providers + retry | Yes — 3 providers still active | Simplify: extract per-provider strategies |
| validateInput() | 62 | Legacy regex for 5 country formats | Partially — 2 formats deprecated | Simplify: remove deprecated formats |
| buildReport() | 45 | Single function, low nesting | N/A — not complex enough | Skip |

If the reason is still valid and the complexity is necessary: Leave it alone. Document WHY you're leaving it and move on. Not all complexity is bad.

3. Propose Simplifications