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. gitnexus_impact({target: "X", direction: "upstream"}) → Map all dependents
2. gitnexus_query({query: "X"}) → Find execution flows involving X
3. gitnexus_context({name: "X"}) → See all incoming/outgoing refs
4. Plan update order: interfaces → implementations → callers → tests

If "Index is stale" → run npx gitnexus analyze in terminal.

Checklists

Rename Symbol

• gitnexus_rename({symbol_name: "oldName", new_name: "newName", dry_run: true}) — preview all edits
• Review graph edits (high confidence) and ast_search edits (review carefully)
• If satisfied: gitnexus_rename({..., dry_run: false}) — apply edits
• gitnexus_detect_changes() — verify only expected files changed
• Run tests for affected processes

Extract Module

• gitnexus_context({name: target}) — see all incoming/outgoing refs
• gitnexus_impact({target, direction: "upstream"}) — find all external callers
• Define new module interface
• Extract code, update imports
• gitnexus_detect_changes() — verify affected scope
• Run tests for affected processes

Split Function/Service

• gitnexus_context({name: target}) — understand all callees
• Group callees by responsibility
• gitnexus_impact({target, direction: "upstream"}) — map callers to update
• Create new functions/services
• Update callers
• gitnexus_detect_changes() — verify affected scope
• Run tests for affected processes

Tools

gitnexus_rename — automated multi-file rename:

gitnexus_rename({symbol_name: "validateUser", new_name: "authenticateUser", dry_run: true}) → 12 edits across 8 files → 10 graph edits (high confidence), 2 ast_search edits (review) → Changes: [{file_path, edits: [{line, old_text, new_text, confidence}]}]

gitnexus_impact — map all dependents first:

gitnexus_impact({target: "validateUser", direction: "upstream"}) → d=1: loginHandler, apiMiddleware, testUtils → Affected Processes: LoginFlow, TokenRefresh

gitnexus_detect_changes — verify your changes after refactoring:

gitnexus_detect_changes({scope: "all"}) → Changed: 8 files, 12 symbols → Affected processes: LoginFlow, TokenRefresh → Risk: MEDIUM

gitnexus_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 gitnexus_rename for automated updates

Cross-area refs Use detect_changes after to verify scope

String/dynamic refs gitnexus_query to find them

External/public API Version and deprecate properly

Example: Rename validateUser to authenticateUser

1. gitnexus_rename({symbol_name: "validateUser", new_name: "authenticateUser", dry_run: true}) → 12 edits: 10 graph (safe), 2 ast_search (review) → Files: validator.ts, login.ts, middleware.ts, config.json...

2. Review ast_search edits (config.json: dynamic reference!)

3. gitnexus_rename({symbol_name: "validateUser", new_name: "authenticateUser", dry_run: false}) → Applied 12 edits across 8 files

4. gitnexus_detect_changes({scope: "all"}) → Affected: LoginFlow, TokenRefresh → Risk: MEDIUM — run tests for these flows