kaizen

Audit a codebase for accidental complexity and ship the highest-ROI simplification.

Updated Feb 23, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/eumemic/dev-skills --skill kaizen-eumemic
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: kaizen
Source: https://github.com/eumemic/dev-skills/tree/main/skills/kaizen
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/eumemic/dev-skills --skill kaizen-eumemic

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

Kaizen reduces accidental complexity in a codebase by auditing for unhelpful structure and simplifications that improve clarity and maintainability without changing behavior.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Parallel codebase audit for simplification targets: Uses multiple agents to scan for duplication, smell patterns, error-swallowing, corrective pipelines, and craftsmanship principle violations.
  • Highest-ROI structural simplification: Selects a top candidate, verifies it is truly accidental and net-positive, then implements a focused cleanup.
  • Ship + retrospective loop: Hands off to /ship, runs /retro, and loops with quality gates so most iterations can end without shipping when there is nothing clearly worth changing.

Quick Start

Use /kaizen to run an audit-and-simplify loop and ship the highest-ROI accidental complexity cleanup candidate (run once with --once, and auto-merge when CI is green with --auto).

Frequently Asked Questions about kaizen

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I automate codebase refactoring to remove accidental complexity?▼

Automated refactoring removes accidental complexity by running a parallel codebase audit to identify duplication, error-swallowing, and unclear responsibilities, then shipping the highest-ROI structural cleanup candidate via GitHub pull requests.

What is the best way to simplify legacy code without changing its behavior?▼

To simplify legacy code without behavior change, apply structural refactoring techniques like removing duplication and overbuilt corrective pipelines, enforcing quality gates that verify the cleanup is accidental-only and yields a net deletion of code.

How do parallel agents identify code smells for maintenance automation?▼

Parallel agents identify code smells for maintenance automation by scanning the repository for duplication, unclear responsibility, error handling smells, and craftsmanship principle violations to select a highest-ROI simplification target.

Can I run a structural codebase audit just once and auto-merge the refactoring?▼

Yes, you can run an audit-and-simplify loop once with the --once flag, and configure it to auto-merge the refactoring pull request automatically when continuous integration checks pass green using --auto.

When should I avoid using automated structural refactoring on my repository?▼

Avoid automated structural refactoring when the proposed cleanup is contentious, extends beyond a bounded blast radius, or fails the quality gate of being an accidental-only structural simplification with a net deletion of code.

Does kaizen refactoring require specific project configuration files?▼

Kaizen refactoring requires reading project stance inputs like CLAUDE.md and feedback or project memories to understand context before enforcing kaizen-specific quality gates and delegating shipping to the loop-driver framework.