35 Code Refactoring Prompts to Know for Generative AI

Code refactoring is the process of restructuring existing code without changing its external behavior. It involves making improvements to the code’s internal structure, design and readability while preserving its functionality. The primary goal of refactoring is to enhance the code’s maintainability, extensibility and efficiency. While this can be a time consuming process, ChatGPT and other generative AI tools have made code refactoring easier with the right prompts.

Let’s take a look at some useful code refactoring prompts to improve and restructure your existing code. 

35 Code Refactoring Prompts to Know for Generative AI

Sharing a list of the prompts that can help you to use ChatGPT or other generative AI tools for code refactoring. Be sure to replace the words in block to get the desired result. For example, use your choice of language, such as C#, JavaScript, Python and Node.js, etc.

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Design Pattern Prompts

1. Are there any design patterns or principles that I should keep in mind while refactoring my code?
2. How can I refactor the following Java code to follow the factory pattern?[Enter your code here]
3. What are some techniques for refactoring code to improve code reuse and promote the use of design patterns?

Duplication Prompts

1. I have duplicate code in my project. How can I refactor it to eliminate redundancy?
2. I’m refactoring a codebase that has a lot of code duplication. What are some approaches to identifying and eliminating duplicated code?

General Prompts

1. What are some tools or IDE plugins that can assist with code refactoring?
2. What are some common code smells that indicate the need for refactoring?
3. Suggest a refactor for this C# function: [Enter your code here]
4. I’m refactoring a codebase that heavily relies on global variables. What are some strategies to reduce the use of the global state and improve code encapsulation?
5. What are some common pitfalls to avoid during the code refactoring process?
6. What are some techniques for refactoring legacy code?
7. I’m refactoring a large codebase with multiple contributors. How can I ensure consistency in coding style and quality?

Code Improvement Prompts

1. Could you show me how to refactor this C# function to be more idiomatic: [Enter your code here]
2. Could you show me how to refactor this JavaScript function to use more modern features such as arrow functions? [Enter your code here]
3. What are some techniques for refactoring code to improve testability and enable easier unit testing?
4. I am refactoring my codebase, and I want to ensure that I don’t introduce any bugs. What are some best practices for safe refactoring?
5. What are some strategies for refactoring code to improve error handling and exception management?
6. I have a codebase that lacks proper error handling and logging. How can I refactor it to improve error reporting and debugging?

Code Principles Prompts

1. How can I improve the performance of my code through refactoring?
2. How can I refactor my code to improve its scalability and performance under heavy load?
3. What are some ways I can refactor this Python script for better performance: [Enter your code here]
4. I have a function that has grown too large and has multiple responsibilities. How can I refactor it to adhere to the single responsibility principle?
5. I am considering refactoring this C# Code to use SOLID Principles. How would you approach this? [Enter your code here]
6. Suggest a way to refactor this C# code to follow SOLID Principles while improving reusability: [Enter your code here]

Code Readability Prompts

1. I have a codebase that lacks proper documentation. How can I refactor it to improve code readability and documentation?
2. I’m refactoring a codebase that has a lot of nested conditional statements. How can I simplify the logic and make it more readable?
3. Suggest a way to refactor the following C# code to improve readability. [Enter your code here]
4. How can I make this JavaScript code more readable: [Enter your code here]
5. I want to refactor this Java function to make it more maintainable, any suggestions? [Enter your code here]

Code Security Prompts

1. How can I refactor my code to implement secure coding practices, such as input validation, output encoding and proper authentication?
2. What are some strategies for refactoring code to prevent common security risks, such as cross-site scripting (XSS) or SQL injection attacks?

Code Standard Prompts

1. Can you provide some tips on refactoring object-oriented code?
2. I’d like to refactor this C# code to be more object-oriented, any suggestions? [Enter your code here]
3. How can I refactor this C# code to improve readability and align with C# coding standards? [Enter your code here]

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Why Code Refactoring Is Important

There are several reasons why code refactoring is important:

• Readability and maintainability: Refactoring improves the readability of code by making it easier to understand and modify.
• Modularity and extensibility: Refactoring promotes the creation of modular code by breaking down large and monolithic functions into smaller, more manageable ones.
• Performance optimization: Refactoring can lead to performance improvements by identifying and eliminating bottlenecks or inefficient algorithms.
• Bug detection and prevention: Refactoring often involves reviewing and analyzing code, which can help identify potential bugs or vulnerabilities.
• Collaboration and teamwork: Well refactored code is easier to understand and work with, promoting effective collaboration among team members.
• Code reusability: Refactoring can extract reusable code components, making them more accessible and reducing code duplication.

Refactoring is like tidying up your code’s room: it may take some effort, but it leads to a cleaner, more organized and inviting space for future development.

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