Simplifying Code Best Practices

Workflow

1. Identify duplication, complexity hot spots, and confusing flows.
2. Apply DRY/KISS/YAGNI/Separation of Concerns to guide refactors.
3. Extract reusable modules or functions with clear interfaces.
4. Replace complex conditionals with patterns when appropriate.
5. Validate behavior with tests and update docs.

Preflight (Avoid Accidental Complexity)

• Confirm what must not change (public API, performance constraints, side effects).
• Prefer small, reversible refactors with tests between steps.
• Do not DRY "similar-looking" code unless the invariants are truly shared.

Core Principles

• DRY: Single source of truth for logic.
• KISS: Prefer the simplest solution that works.
• YAGNI: Avoid speculative features and over-generalization.
• Separation of Concerns: Keep responsibilities isolated.