codebase-audit-pre-push

Pre-Push Codebase Audit

As a senior engineer, you're doing the final review before pushing this code to GitHub. Check everything carefully and fix problems as you find them.

When to Use This Skill

• User requests "audit the codebase" or "review before push"
• Before making the first push to GitHub
• Before making a repository public
• Pre-production deployment review
• User asks to "clean up the code" or "optimize everything"

Your Job

Review the entire codebase file by file. Read the code carefully. Fix issues right away. Don't just note problems—make the necessary changes.

Audit Process

1. Clean Up Junk Files

Start by looking for files that shouldn't be on GitHub:

Inspect these candidates; delete only confirmed disposable files within the authorized scope:

• OS files: .DS_Store, Thumbs.db, desktop.ini
• Logs: *.log, npm-debug.log*, yarn-error.log*
• Temp files: *.tmp, *.temp, *.cache, *.swp
• Build output: dist/, build/, .next/, out/, .cache/
• Dependencies: node_modules/, vendor/, __pycache__/, *.pyc
• IDE files: .idea/, .vscode/ (ask user first), *.iml, .project
• Backup files: *.bak, *_old.*, *_backup.*, *_copy.*
• Test artifacts: coverage/, .nyc_output/, test-results/
• Personal junk: TODO.txt, NOTES.txt, scratch.*, test123.*

Critical - Check for secrets:

• .env files (should never be committed)
• Files containing: password, api_key, token, secret, private_key
• *.pem, *.key, *.cert, credentials.json, serviceAccountKey.json

If you find secrets in the code, mark it as a CRITICAL BLOCKER.

2. Fix .gitignore

Check if the .gitignore file exists and is thorough. If it’s missing or not complete, update it to include all junk file patterns above. Ensure that .env.example exists with keys but no values.

3. Audit Every Source File

Look through each code file and check:

Potential dead code (verify consumers/build/runtime conventions before removing):

• Commented-out code blocks
• Unused imports/requires
• Unused variables (declared but never used)
• Unused functions (defined but never called)
• Unreachable code (after return, inside if (false))
• Duplicate logic (same code in multiple places—combine)

Code Quality (fix issues as you go):

• Vague names: data, info, temp, thing → rename to be descriptive
• Magic numbers: if (status === 3) → extract to named constant
• Debug statements: remove console.log, print(), debugger
• TODO/FIXME comments: preserve unresolved requirements; resolve only with evidence and scope
• TypeScript any: add proper types or explain why any is used
• Use === instead of == in JavaScript
• Functions longer than 50 lines: consider splitting
• Nested code greater than 3 levels: refactor with early returns

Logic Issues (critical):

• Missing null/undefined checks
• Array operations on potentially empty arrays
• Async functions that are not awaited
• Promises without .catch() or try/catch
• Possibilities for infinite loops
• Missing default in switch statements

4. Security Check (Zero Tolerance)

Secrets: Search for hardcoded passwords, API keys, and tokens. They must be in environment variables.

Injection vulnerabilities:

• SQL: No string concatenation in queries—use parameterized queries only
• Command injection: No exec() with user-provided input
• Path traversal: No file paths from user input without validation
• XSS: No innerHTML or dangerouslySetInnerHTML with user data

Auth/Authorization:

• Passwords hashed with bcrypt/argon2 (never MD5 or plain text)
• Protected routes check for authentication
• Authorization checks on the server side, not just in the UI
• No IDOR: verify users own the resources they are accessing

Data exposure:

• API responses do not leak unnecessary information
• Error messages do not expose stack traces or database details
• Pagination is present on list endpoints

Dependencies:

• Run npm audit or an equivalent tool
• Flag critically outdated or vulnerable packages

5. Scalability Check

Database:

• N+1 queries: loops with database calls inside → use JOINs or batch queries
• Missing indexes on WHERE/ORDER BY columns
• Unbounded queries: add LIMIT or pagination
• Avoid SELECT *: specify columns

API Design:

• Heavy operations (like email, reports, file processing) → move to a background queue
• Rate limiting on public endpoints
• Caching for data that is read frequently
• Timeouts on external calls

Code:

• No global mutable state
• Clean up event listeners (to avoid memory leaks)
• Stream large files instead of loading them into memory

6. Architecture Check

Organization:

• Clear folder structure
• Files are in logical locations
• No "misc" or "stuff" folders

Separation of concerns:

• UI layer: only responsible for rendering
• Business logic: pure functions
• Data layer: isolated database queries
• No 500+ line "god files"

Reusability:

• Duplicate code → extract to shared utilities
• Constants defined once and imported
• Types/interfaces reused, not redefined

7. Performance

Backend:

• Expensive operations do not block requests
• Batch database calls when possible
• Set cache headers correctly

Frontend (if applicable):

• Implement code splitting
• Optimize images
• Avoid massive dependencies for small utilities
• Use lazy loading for heavy components

8. Documentation

README.md must include:

• Description of what the project does
• Instructions for installation and execution
• Required environment variables
• Guidance on running tests

Code comments:

• Explain WHY, not WHAT
• Provide explanations for complex logic
• Avoid comments that merely repeat the code

9. Testing

• Critical paths should have tests (auth, payments, core features)
• No test.only or fdescribe should remain in the code
• Avoid test.skip without an explanation
• Tests should verify behavior, not implementation details

10. Final Verification

After making all changes, run the app. Ensure nothing is broken. Check that:

• The app starts without errors
• Main features work
• Tests pass (if they exist)
• No regressions have been introduced

Output Format

After auditing, provide a report:

CODEBASE AUDIT COMPLETE  

FILES REMOVED:  
- node_modules/ (build artifact)  
- .env (contained secrets)  
- old_backup.js (unused duplicate)  

CODE CHANGES:  
[src/api/users.js]  
  ✂ Removed unused import: lodash  
  ✂ Removed dead function: formatOldWay()  
  🔧 Renamed 'data' → 'userData' for clarity  
  🛡 Added try/catch around API call (line 47)  

[src/db/queries.js]  
  ⚡ Fixed N+1 query: now uses JOIN instead of loop  

SECURITY ISSUES:  
🚨 CRITICAL: Hardcoded API key in config.js (line 12) → moved to .env  
⚠️ HIGH: SQL injection risk in search.js (line 34) → fixed with parameterized query  

SCALABILITY:  
⚡ Added pagination to /api/users endpoint  
⚡ Added index on users.email column  

FINAL STATUS:  
Status: report passed checks, unresolved findings and untested environments; no universal production-readiness certification

Scores:  
Security: list concrete findings and evidence
Code quality: list scoped findings
Scalability: state measured evidence or untested
Overall: state remaining blockers

Key Principles

• Read the code thoroughly, don't skim
• Fix issues immediately, don’t just document them
• If uncertain about removing something, ask the user
• Test after making changes
• Be thorough but practical—focus on real problems
• Security issues are blockers—nothing should ship with critical vulnerabilities

Related Skills

• @security-auditor - Deeper security review
• @systematic-debugging - Investigate specific issues
• @git-pushing - Push code after audit

Limitations

• Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
• Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
• Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.

Tracked build outputs, vendored dependencies, fixtures, backups and notes may be intentional project sources. Read the repository contract and ownership before deletion; do not remove local .env merely to prepare a push. If a credential was exposed, redact the report, rotate/revoke it and assess history/artifacts; moving it to an environment variable does not undo exposure. Report exact files actually read and checks actually executed; do not call a sampled audit complete for the whole codebase.