Refactor: Risk Assessment
Evaluate and mitigate risks before executing changes.
Risk Dimensions
- Blast Radius
Level Description Example
LOW Single file, private methods Rename local variable
MEDIUM Multiple files, internal APIs Extract helper class
HIGH Public APIs, many dependents Change interface signature
- Reversibility
Level Description
LOW RISK Git revert fixes everything
MEDIUM Requires coordinated rollback
HIGH Data migration, external deps
- Test Coverage
Coverage Risk Impact
80% Safe to proceed
50-80% Add tests first
< 50% HIGH RISK
Go/No-Go Criteria
PROCEED if: Test coverage adequate, Blast radius understood, Rollback plan exists BLOCK if: Critical path no tests, Public API change without review