Production rescue
AI-Generated Code Refactoring
Short answer
Refactor AI-generated code by deleting unused paths, extracting a domain layer, and adding tests around money and auth — not by rewriting the whole UI for taste.
What is AI-generated code refactoring?
Restructuring agent output so a human can change one feature without breaking five others. Same product, less soup.
Refactor vs rewrite
| Signal | Refactor | Rewrite |
|---|---|---|
| Stack | Next.js / RN you want | Wrong language or no Git |
| Data model | Close to the business | Invented by the prompt |
| Team | Someone can explain it | Only the chat can |
Order of operations
1) Make it run with a lockfile and documented env. 2) Add tests on login, pay, and the core job. 3) Delete unused generated pages. 4) Extract shared types. 5) Only then restyle.
What not to do
Do not “just ask the agent to clean the whole repo.” That creates a second unreviewable diff. Work in vertical slices.
FAQ
When is a rewrite cheaper than a refactor?
When there is no migration history, secrets are everywhere, and the UI framework is not what you will hire for.
Related
Repo works, nobody wants to touch it?
That’s a refactor job. We’ll size the slices — or tell you a rewrite is cheaper.