About rust-refactor-helper
A Rust refactoring skill that analyzes code impact before proposing symbol renames, function extraction, inlining, or module moves. It uses LSP operations and supports a dry run to preview changes.
Key features
- 01Rename symbols
- 02Extract or inline functions
- 03Move symbols between modules
- 04Analyze references and dependencies
- 05Preview changes with dry run
Use cases
- 01Check rename impact across references
- 02Extract a function from a selected code range
- 03Review dependencies before moving a symbol
MCP support
The skill uses LSP operations such as findReferences and goToDefinition to analyze Rust code before refactoring. It does not describe exposing MCP tools or managing MCP servers.
Install
Copy the command and run it in a terminal.
$
npx skills add https:/ / github.com/ actionbook/ rust-skills --skill rust-refactor-helperAfter installing, type/rust-refactor-helperin Claude Code to confirm it loaded.
Details
From the project READMERust Refactor Helper
Perform safe refactoring with comprehensive impact analysis.
Usage
/rust-refactor-helper <action> <target> [--dry-run]
Actions:
rename <old> <new>- Rename symbolextract-fn <selection>- Extract to functioninline <fn>- Inline functionmove <symbol> <dest>- Move to module
Examples:
/rust-refactor-helper rename parse_config load_config/rust-refactor-helper extract-fn src/main.rs:20-35/rust-refactor-helper move UserService src/services/
LSP Operations Used
Pre-Refactor Analysis
# Find all references before renaming
LSP(
operation: "findReferences",
filePath: "src/lib.rs",
line: 25,
character: 8
)
# Get symbol info
LSP(
operation: "hover",
filePath: "src/lib.rs",
line: 25,
character: 8
)
# Check call hierarchy for move operations
LSP(
operation: "incomingCalls",
filePath: "src/lib.rs",
line: 25,
character: 8
)
Refactoring Workflows
1. Rename Symbol
User: "Rename parse_config to load_config"
│
▼
[1] Find symbol definition
LSP(goToDefinition)
│
▼
[2] Find ALL references
LSP(findReferences)
│
▼
[3] Categorize by file
│
▼
[4] Check for conflicts
- Is 'load_config' already used?
- Are there macro-generated uses?
│
▼
[5] Show impact analysis (--dry-run)
│
▼
[6] Apply changes with Edit tool
Output:
## Rename: parse_config → load_config
### Impact Analysis
**Definition:** src/config.rs:25
**References found:** 8
| File | Line | Context | Change |
|------|------|---------|--------|
| src/config.rs | 25 | `pub fn parse_config(` | Definition |
| src/config.rs | 45 | `parse_config(path)?` | Call |
| src/main.rs | 12 | `config::parse_config` | Import |
| src/main.rs | 30 | `let cfg = parse_config(` | Call |
| src/lib.rs | 8 | `pub use config::parse_config` | Re-export |
| tests/config_test.rs | 15 | `parse_config("test.toml")` | Test |
| tests/config_test.rs | 25 | `parse_config("")` | Test |
| docs/api.md | 42 | `parse_config` | Documentation |
### Potential Issues
⚠️ **Documentation reference:** docs/api.md:42 may need manual update
⚠️ **Re-export:** src/lib.rs:8 - public API change
### Proceed?
- [x] --dry-run (preview only)
- [ ] Apply changes
2. Extract Function
User: "Extract lines 20-35 in main.rs to a function"
│
▼
[1] Read the selected code block
│
▼
[2] Analyze variables
- Which are inputs? (used but not defined in block)
- Which are outputs? (defined and used after block)
- Which are local? (defined and used only in block)
│
▼
[3] Determine function signature
│
▼
[4] Check for early returns, loops, etc.
│
▼
[5] Generate extracted function
│
▼
[6] Replace original code with call
Output:
## Extract Function: src/main.rs:20-35
### Selected Code
```rust
let file = File::open(&path)?;
let mut contents = String::new();
file.read_to_string(&mut contents)?;
let config: Config = toml::from_str(&contents)?;
validate_config(&config)?;
```
### Analysis
**Inputs:** path: &Path
**Outputs:** config: Config
**Side Effects:** File I/O, may return error
### Extracted Function
```rust
fn load_and_validate_config(path: &Path) -> Result<Config> {
let file = File::open(path)?;
let mut contents = String::new();
file.read_to_string(&mut contents)?;
let config: Config = toml::from_str(&contents)?;
validate_config(&config)?;
Ok(config)
}
```
### Replacement
```rust
let config = load_and_validate_config(&path)?;
```
3. Move Symbol
User: "Move UserService to src/services/"
│
▼
[1] Find symbol and all its dependencies
│
▼
[2] Find all references (callers)
LSP(findReferences)
│
▼
[3] Analyze import changes needed
│
▼
[4] Check for circular dependencies
│
▼
[5] Generate move plan
Output:
## Move: UserService → src/services/user.rs
### Current Location
src/handlers/auth.rs:50-120
### Dependencies (will be moved together)
- struct UserService (50-80)
- impl UserService (82-120)
- const DEFAULT_TIMEOUT (48)
### Import Changes Required
| File | Current | New |
|------|---------|-----|
| src/main.rs | `use handlers::auth::UserService` | `use services::user::UserService` |
| src/handlers/api.rs | `use super::auth::UserService` | `use crate::services::user::UserService` |
| tests/auth_test.rs | `use crate::handlers::auth::UserService` | `use crate::services::user::UserService` |
### New File Structure
```
src/
├── services/
│ ├── mod.rs (NEW - add `pub mod user;`)
│ └── user.rs (NEW - UserService moved here)
├── handlers/
│ └── auth.rs (UserService removed)
```
### Circular Dependency Check
✅ No circular dependencies detected
Safety Checks
| Check | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Reference completeness | Ensure all uses are found |
| Name conflicts | Detect existing symbols with same name |
| Visibility changes | Warn if pub/private scope changes |
| Macro-generated code | Warn about code in macros |
| Documentation | Flag doc comments mentioning symbol |
| Test coverage | Show affected tests |
Dry Run Mode
Always use --dry-run first to preview changes:
/rust-refactor-helper rename old_name new_name --dry-run
This shows all changes without applying them.
Related Skills
| When | See |
|---|---|
| Navigate to symbol | rust-code-navigator |
| Understand call flow | rust-call-graph |
| Project structure | rust-symbol-analyzer |
| Trait implementations | rust-trait-explorer |
Comments
Markdown supported