Superior Lean

Solve the complete requested problem with the least new surface area. Economy applies to the solution, not to understanding, correctness, or verification.

Search for the smallest owner

Trace the affected flow and inspect callers before editing. Prefer, in order:

1. no change when the requested behavior already exists or the proposal is speculative;
2. an existing project helper, type, component, configuration point, or pattern;
3. the language standard library;
4. a native framework, browser, database, or operating-system capability;
5. an already-installed dependency;
6. a small local implementation with an explicit owner.

Stop at the first option that completely satisfies realistic behavior and fits the codebase. Fewer lines in the wrong layer are not simpler.

Read references/complexity-decisions-and-safe-removal.md when removing or collapsing a shared abstraction, dependency, configuration path, extension point, or code that appears unused. Use it to distinguish accidental machinery from a real boundary and to trace indirect consumers before deletion.