TypeScript Refactoring Skill

This skill guides the use of the refactor-ts CLI tool for common TypeScript code reorganization tasks.

When to Use

• User wants to move a TypeScript file to a new location
• User wants to extract a symbol (class, function, interface, etc.) to a different file
• User wants to rename a symbol across the entire codebase
• User is reorganizing code structure and needs import updates handled automatically

Available Operations

1. Move File (refactor-ts move-file)

Moves a TypeScript file to a new location and updates all import references.

npx refactor-ts move-file <source> <destination>

Example:

npx refactor-ts move-file src/game/Player.ts src/game/entities/Player.ts

2. Move Symbol (refactor-ts move-symbol)

Moves a symbol from one file to another, updating imports and copying dependencies.

npx refactor-ts move-symbol <file> <symbol> <destination>

Supported symbols: classes, functions, variables, interfaces, enums, type aliases

Example:

npx refactor-ts move-symbol src/game/Player.ts PlayerState src/game/state/PlayerState.ts

3. Rename Symbol (refactor-ts move-symbol)

Renames a symbol and updates all references across the codebase. This uses the same move-symbol command - when the destination is a name rather than a file path, it performs a rename.

npx refactor-ts move-symbol <file> <oldName> <newName>

Supported symbols: classes, functions, variables, interfaces, enums, type aliases

Example:

npx refactor-ts move-symbol src/game/Player.ts Player GamePlayer

Process

1. Identify the operation type based on what the user wants to do
2. Determine the arguments needed for the command
3. Run the appropriate command with the correct arguments
4. Verify the changes by checking that TypeScript compiles without errors

Common Patterns

• Extracting a class to its own file: Use move-symbol to move the class, which will create the destination file if needed
• Reorganizing into subdirectories: Use move-file to relocate files while keeping imports valid
• Renaming for consistency: Use move-symbol with a new name (not a file path) to rename throughout the codebase