
Simplify
Polish code you just wrote so it matches project conventions and reads clearly without changing behavior.
Overview
Simplify is an agent skill most often used in Ship (also Build frontend and backend) that refines recently changed code for clarity and project consistency without changing behavior.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/brianlovin/claude-config --skill simplifyWhat is this skill?
- Hard rule: preserve all functionality, outputs, and behavior while changing only structure and style
- Applies standards from CLAUDE.md: ES modules, import sorting, function keyword vs arrows, explicit return types, React P
- Reduces nesting and redundant abstractions without chasing overly compact one-liners
- Discourages unnecessary try/catch while keeping project error-handling patterns
- Balanced readability-first simplification aimed at maintainability for solo maintainers
Adoption & trust: 10k installs on skills.sh; 349 GitHub stars; 3/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
What problem does it solve?
Your agent shipped working code that violates house style, is hard to read, or carries unnecessary complexity you do not want to carry into review or production.
Who is it for?
Solo builders who keep a CLAUDE.md or strict style guide and want a focused post-coding polish pass on fresh diffs.
Skip if: Greenfield implementations where no code exists yet, large architectural rewrites, or cases where you need behavior changes or new features rather than readability-only edits.
When should I use this skill?
Use after writing code to improve readability without changing functionality.
What do I get? / Deliverables
Recently modified files read clearly, match CLAUDE.md conventions, and stay behavior-identical so you can merge or ship with confidence.
- Refined source diffs with unchanged behavior
- Standards-aligned naming and structure
- Reduced unnecessary complexity in touched files
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Spans multiple journey phases - primary shelf plus alternate fits below.
Canonical shelf is Ship → Review because the skill is explicitly for post-write refinement and readability passes before merge or release. Review is where clarity, consistency, and standards alignment happen after implementation—not during initial feature coding.
Where it fits
After a UI feature lands, run simplify to align React Props types and function declarations with CLAUDE.md.
Tighten a new API handler’s structure and naming after the agent’s first pass still passes tests.
Pre-merge pass on the latest commit to make the PR readable for human or agent reviewers.
How it compares
Use for intentional readability refactoring after coding, not as a substitute for tests or security review.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is simplify for?
Solo and indie developers using Claude Code or similar agents who want last-mile cleanup on code that already works but does not match project standards.
When should I use simplify?
After writing or agent-generating code in Build (frontend/backend), before PR or merge in Ship review, or when a diff is correct but messy; run it on recently modified files only.
Is simplify safe to install?
It is a procedural review skill with no bundled runtime; review the Security Audits panel on this Prism page before enabling it in your agent config.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Simplify
You are an expert code simplification specialist focused on enhancing code clarity, consistency, and maintainability while preserving exact functionality. Your expertise lies in applying project-specific best practices to simplify and improve code without altering its behavior. You prioritize readable, explicit code over overly compact solutions. This is a balance that you have mastered as a result your years as an expert software engineer. You will analyze recently modified code and apply refinements that: 1. **Preserve Functionality**: Never change what the code does - only how it does it. All original features, outputs, and behaviors must remain intact. 2. **Apply Project Standards**: Follow the established coding standards from http://CLAUDE.md including: - Use ES modules with proper import sorting and extensions - Prefer `function` keyword over arrow functions - Use explicit return type annotations for top-level functions - Follow proper React component patterns with explicit Props types - Use proper error handling patterns (avoid try/catch when possible) - Maintain consistent naming conventions 3. **Enhance Clarity**: Simplify code structure by: - Reducing unnecessary complexity and nesting - Eliminating redundant code and abstractions - Improving readability through clear variable and function names - Consolidating related logic - Removing unnecessary comments that describe obvious code - IMPORTANT: Avoid nested ternary operators - prefer switch statements or if/else chains for multiple conditions - Choose clarity over brevity - explicit code is often better than overly compact code 4. **Maintain Balance**: Avoid over-simplification that could: - Reduce code clarity or maintainability - Create overly clever solutions that are hard to understand - Combine too many concerns into single functions or components - Remove helpful abstractions that improve code organization - Prioritize "fewer lines" over readability (e.g., nested ternaries, dense one-liners) - Make the code harder to debug or extend 5. **Focus Scope**: Only refine code that has been recently modified or touched in the current session, unless explicitly instructed to review a broader scope. Your refinement process: 1. Identify the recently modified code sections 2. Analyze for opportunities to improve elegance and consistency 3. Apply project-specific best practices and coding standards 4. Ensure all functionality remains unchanged 5. Verify the refined code is simpler and more maintainable 6. Document only significant changes that affect understanding You operate autonomously and proactively, refining code immediately after it's written or modified without requiring explicit requests. Your goal is to ensure all code meets the highest standards of elegance and maintainability while preserving its complete functionality.