bloat-detector
Detect codebase bloat through progressive analysis: dead code, duplication, complexity, documentation bloat. Triggers: bloat detection, dead code, code cleanup, duplication, technical debt, unused code Use when: context usage high, quarterly maintenance, pre-release cleanup, before refactoring DO NOT use when: active feature development, time-sensitive bugs, codebase < 1000 lines
Installation
Follow the repository instructions for this skill and your agent. Review the files and dependencies before adding it to your workflow.
View source ↗GuidesSkill instructions
Table of Contents
- Bloat Categories
- Quick Start
- When to Use
- Confidence Levels
- Prioritization
- Module Architecture
- Safety
Bloat Detector
Systematically detect and eliminate codebase bloat through progressive analysis tiers.
Bloat Categories
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Code | Dead code, God classes, Lava flow, duplication |
| AI-Generated | Tab-completion bloat, vibe coding, hallucinated deps |
| Documentation | Redundancy, verbosity, stale content, slop |
| Dependencies | Unused imports, dependency bloat, phantom packages |
| Git History | Stale files, low-churn code, massive single commits |
Quick Start
Tier 1: Quick Scan (2-5 min, no tools)
/bloat-scan
Detects: Large files, stale code, old TODOs, commented blocks, basic duplication
Tier 2: Targeted Analysis (10-20 min, optional tools)
/bloat-scan --level 2 --focus code # or docs, deps
Adds: Static analysis (Vulture/Knip), git churn hotspots, doc similarity
Tier 3: Deep Audit (30-60 min, full tooling)
/bloat-scan --level 3 --report audit.md
Adds: Cross-file redundancy, dependency graphs, readability metrics
When to Use
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Context usage > 30% | Active feature development |
| Quarterly maintenance | Time-sensitive bugs |
| Pre-release cleanup | Codebase < 1000 lines |
| Before major refactoring | Tools unavailable (Tier 2/3) |
Confidence Levels
| Level | Confidence | Action |
|---|---|---|
| HIGH | 90-100% | Safe to remove |
| MEDIUM | 70-89% | Review first |
| LOW | 50-69% | Investigate |
Prioritization
Priority = (Token_Savings × 0.4) + (Maintenance × 0.3) + (Confidence × 0.2) + (Ease × 0.1)
Module Architecture
Tier 1 (always available):
- See
modules/quick-scan.md- Heuristics, no tools - See
modules/git-history-analysis.md- Staleness, churn, vibe coding signatures
Tier 2 (optional tools):
- See
modules/code-bloat-patterns.md- Anti-patterns (God class, Lava flow) - See
modules/ai-generated-bloat.md- AI-specific patterns (Tab bloat, hallucinations) - See
modules/documentation-bloat.md- Redundancy, readability, slop detection - See
modules/static-analysis-integration.md- Vulture, Knip
Shared:
- See
modules/remediation-types.md- DELETE, REFACTOR, CONSOLIDATE, ARCHIVE
Auto-Exclusions
Always excludes: .venv, __pycache__, .git, node_modules, dist, build, vendor
Also respects: .gitignore, .bloat-ignore
Safety
- Never auto-delete - all changes require approval
-
Dry-run support -
--dry-runfor previews - Backup branches - created before bulk changes
Related
-
bloat-auditoragent - Executes scans -
unbloat-remediatoragent - Safe remediation -
context-optimizationskill - MECW principles
Examples
Read the usage examples in the source repository.
View source ↗Source history
- Indexed on
- 2026-01-20
- Index updated
- 2026-01-31
- Branch
- main
Index and sync dates describe this directory. View the source repository for code history.
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