dead-code-and-deps

Dead Code and Dependency Cleanup

Overview

Identify code and dependencies that no longer serve the project, then propose safe removal. Cleanup reduces maintenance burden, shrinks attack surface, and speeds builds — but deletion is irreversible without git, so always ask before deleting.

When to Use

• /cortexloop cleanup pass
• After refactors that replace old implementations
• Before release to reduce bundle size and audit surface
• When npm audit / pip audit / cargo audit reports issues
• When dependency count grows without clear value

When NOT to use:

• Code is deprecated but still referenced by external consumers
• You're unsure whether something is dead — investigate first (Chesterton's Fence)
• Deletion would break a feature flag path that's temporarily disabled

Dead Code Detection

Signals to investigate

Signal	How to verify
Unused exports	grep for import references across codebase
Unreachable functions	No callers in repo; check dynamic imports
Commented-out blocks	Safe to remove if git history preserves them
Orphaned files	No imports reference the file
Unused variables/imports	Linter (eslint, ruff, clippy)
Legacy shims	Comments like "backwards compat", "TODO remove"
Duplicate utilities	Same logic in multiple files — consolidate, don't delete both
Empty/stub files	Placeholder never implemented

Detection process

1. Run project linter — collect unused import/variable warnings
2. For each candidate:
   a. grep -r for symbol name and file path
   b. Check dynamic imports, reflection, config references, test files
   c. Check git blame — understand why it exists
3. Classify: CONFIRMED_DEAD | LIKELY_DEAD | UNCERTAIN
4. NEVER delete UNCERTAIN without asking user

Ask-before-delete template

DEAD CODE IDENTIFIED:
- formatLegacyDate() in src/utils/date.ts — replaced by formatDate(), 0 references
- OldTaskCard in src/components/ — replaced by TaskCard, 0 references
- LEGACY_API_URL in src/config.ts — no remaining references

Should I remove these? (yes / no / explain which)