Systematic Code Refactoring
luongnv89/claude-howto
Guides refactoring in phases based on Martin Fowler's method: research, test coverage check, planning and small tested steps, with your approval at each phase.
“Restructure code while preserving behavior. Use for extraction, consolidation, ownership moves, or cleanup where verification must bracket structural edits.”
Install Safe Refactor
$ npx skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman --skill safe-refactor -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install JuliusBrussee/caveman safe-refactor --agent claude-codeProject scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/safe-refactor .claude/skills/safe-refactor && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.
Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/
Install the "safe-refactor" agent skill from https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/tree/main/skills/safe-refactor into .claude/skills/safe-refactor/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "safe-refactor", then confirm the skill loads.Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$skill-installer install https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/tree/main/skills/safe-refactorType this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.
$ npx skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman --skill safe-refactor -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install JuliusBrussee/caveman safe-refactor --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/safe-refactor .agents/skills/safe-refactor && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "safe-refactor" agent skill from https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/tree/main/skills/safe-refactor into .agents/skills/safe-refactor/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "safe-refactor", then confirm the skill loads.Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman --skill safe-refactor -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install JuliusBrussee/caveman safe-refactor --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/safe-refactor .cursor/skills/safe-refactor && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.
Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/
Install the "safe-refactor" agent skill from https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/tree/main/skills/safe-refactor into .cursor/skills/safe-refactor/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "safe-refactor", then confirm the skill loads.Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gemini skills install https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman.git --path skills/safe-refactor--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.
$ npx skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman --skill safe-refactor -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install JuliusBrussee/caveman safe-refactor --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/safe-refactor .gemini/skills/safe-refactor && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.
Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "safe-refactor" agent skill from https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/tree/main/skills/safe-refactor into .gemini/skills/safe-refactor/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "safe-refactor", then confirm the skill loads.Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gh skill install JuliusBrussee/caveman safe-refactorInstalls for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ npx skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman --skill safe-refactor -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/safe-refactor .github/skills/safe-refactor && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.
GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "safe-refactor" agent skill from https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/tree/main/skills/safe-refactor into .github/skills/safe-refactor/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "safe-refactor", then confirm the skill loads.GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman --skill safe-refactor -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install JuliusBrussee/caveman safe-refactor --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/safe-refactor .opencode/skills/safe-refactor && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.
OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "safe-refactor" agent skill from https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/tree/main/skills/safe-refactor into .opencode/skills/safe-refactor/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "safe-refactor", then confirm the skill loads.OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
Facts
- Skill name
safe-refactor- GitHub stars
- 110k
- Used in
- 1 other repo
- Token cost
- ~177 tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 62 words
- Files
- 2
- Skills in repo
- 18
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- Apache-2.0
At a glance
- Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
About this skill
Safe Refactor is a skill in JuliusBrussee/caveman (110k stars). Its SKILL.md is about 177 tokens, with 1 other file in the folder, and copies of it appear in 1 other owners' repositories. Licence: Apache-2.0.
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 538b491. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.
Tool permissions
Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.
From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.
Runs code
No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md.
From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.
Network
No URLs in SKILL.md.
From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.
Credentials
Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.
From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.
Context cost
Safe Refactor loads about 177 tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 43 tokens; SKILL.md has 62 words of instructions outside code blocks.
Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.
Safety
Auto-check passed
The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.
Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.
SKILL.md
The full file from JuliusBrussee/caveman at commit 538b491, republished under its Apache-2.0 licence (© JuliusBrussee). 62 words, ~177 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/safe-refactor/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 1 other file; get the full folder from GitHub.- name
- safe-refactor
- description
- Restructure code while preserving behavior. Use for extraction, consolidation, ownership moves, or cleanup where verification must bracket structural edits.
Safe refactor
Define behavior-preservation boundary and establish verification before structural edits.
- Keep feature changes outside refactor.
- Move one ownership boundary at a time.
- Preserve public interfaces, failure behavior, ordering, and compatibility unless explicitly scoped.
- Keep intermediate states buildable and testable.
- Avoid dependency or configuration growth without correctness need.
Run same proof after change. Stop when behavior matches and requested structure is achieved.
© JuliusBrussee, Apache-2.0. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file
Files
SKILL.md and 1 other file in skills/safe-refactor of JuliusBrussee/caveman.
- SKILL.md
- agents/openai.yaml
Open the folder on GitHubat commit 538b491
Used in 1 other repository
We found 1 copy of this SKILL.md (exact, near-identical or edited) in other folders, from 1 other GitHub owner. This page covers the copy in JuliusBrussee/caveman, which our catalogue first saw on October 7, 2026.
Compare with similar skills
Safe Refactor next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.
| Skill | Stars | Used in | Tokens | Auto-check | Licence | Repo updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safe Refactor this skillJuliusBrussee/caveman | 110k | 1 repos | ~177 | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| Systematic Code Refactoringluongnv89/claude-howto | 42k | — | ~3k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Ponytail Lazy Developer ModeDietrichGebert/ponytail | 158k | — | ~871 | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Dignified Python Standardsdocling-project/docling | 69k | — | ~1.5k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| Clean Code GuardamElnagdy/guard-skills | 1.3k | 2 repos | ~4.3k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Code Refactoring Workflowluongnv89/claude-howto | 42k | — | ~3.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT |
Similar skills
Ponytail Lazy Developer Mode
DietrichGebert/ponytail
Makes the agent pick the laziest solution that works: skip unneeded work, reuse what exists, prefer the standard library and platform features, and keep diffs small.
Dignified Python Standards
docling-project/docling
Applies opinionated production Python conventions chosen by the project's Python version: modern type syntax, pathlib, explicit checks and interface guidance.
Clean Code Guard
amElnagdy/guard-skills
Reviews generated or changed production code against Clean Code, SOLID, DRY, KISS, YAGNI and LLM-specific failure modes before it ships, in any language.
Code Refactoring Workflow
luongnv89/claude-howto
Guides systematic, test-backed refactoring in the style of Martin Fowler, moving through research, planning and small incremental changes with your approval at each phase.
Maintainable Code for iPolloWork
Devin-AXIS/iPolloWork
A code-change gate for the iPolloWork repository: search and reuse first, keep one source of truth, justify every new file or dependency, and audit the change.
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Related
Categories
Questions about Safe Refactor
How do I install Safe Refactor in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman --skill safe-refactor -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/safe-refactor in JuliusBrussee/caveman) into .claude/skills/safe-refactor in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Safe Refactor in Codex?
Run `npx skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman --skill safe-refactor -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/safe-refactor in JuliusBrussee/caveman) into .agents/skills/safe-refactor in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Safe Refactor in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?
Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman --skill safe-refactor -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/safe-refactor, .gemini/skills/safe-refactor, .github/skills/safe-refactor and .opencode/skills/safe-refactor in your project.
What does Safe Refactor need to run?
SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Safe Refactor is instructions for the agent only.
Does Safe Refactor access the network?
SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.
Is Safe Refactor safe to install?
Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.
What licence does Safe Refactor use?
Safe Refactor is published under the Apache-2.0 licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.
How many tokens does Safe Refactor use?
About 177 tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 708 characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.
What are the alternatives to Safe Refactor?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Safe Refactor: Systematic Code Refactoring (luongnv89/claude-howto, 42k stars), Ponytail Lazy Developer Mode (DietrichGebert/ponytail, 158k stars), Dignified Python Standards (docling-project/docling, 69k stars) and Clean Code Guard (amElnagdy/guard-skills, 1.3k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains Safe Refactor?
JuliusBrussee (a GitHub user) maintains it in JuliusBrussee/caveman, which has 110,443 GitHub stars. The repository holds 18 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 8, 2026.
Source: JuliusBrussee/caveman on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.