Documentation Cleaner
Consolidate redundant documentation while preserving 100% of valuable content.
Core Principle
Critical evaluation before deletion. Never blindly delete. Analyze each section's unique value before proposing removal. The goal is reduction without information loss.
Workflow
Phase 1: Discovery
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Identify all documentation files covering the topic
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Count total lines across files
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Map content overlap between documents
Phase 2: Value Analysis
For each document, create a section-by-section analysis table:
Section Lines Value Reason
API Reference 25 Keep Unique endpoint documentation
Setup Steps 40 Condense Verbose but essential
Test Results 30 Delete One-time record, not reference
Value categories:
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Keep: Unique, essential, frequently referenced
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Condense: Valuable but verbose
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Delete: Duplicate, one-time, self-evident, outdated
See references/value_analysis_template.md for detailed criteria.
Phase 3: Consolidation Plan
Propose target structure:
Before: 726 lines (3 files, high redundancy) After: ~100 lines (1 file + reference in CLAUDE.md) Reduction: 86% Value preserved: 100%
Phase 4: Execution
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Create consolidated document with all valuable content
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Delete redundant source files
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Update references (CLAUDE.md, README, imports)
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Verify no broken links
Value Preservation Checklist
Before finalizing, confirm preservation of:
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Essential procedures (setup, configuration)
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Key constraints and gotchas
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Troubleshooting guides
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Technical debt / roadmap items
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External links and references
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Debug tips and code snippets
Anti-Patterns
Pattern Problem Solution
Blind deletion Loses valuable information Section-by-section analysis first
Keeping everything No reduction achieved Apply value criteria strictly
Multiple sources of truth Future divergence Single authoritative location
Orphaned references Broken links Update all references after consolidation
Output Artifacts
A successful cleanup produces:
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Consolidated document - Single source of truth
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Value analysis - Section-by-section justification
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Before/after metrics - Lines reduced, value preserved
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Updated references - CLAUDE.md or README with pointer to new location