TypeScript Refactoring Skill

This skill guides the use of three TypeScript refactoring tools that automate common code reorganization tasks using ts-morph.

When to Use

• User wants to move a TypeScript file to a new location
• User wants to extract a symbol (class, function, interface, etc.) to a different file
• User wants to rename a symbol across the entire codebase
• User is reorganizing code structure and needs import updates handled automatically

Available Operations

1. Move File (npm run move-file)

Moves a TypeScript file to a new location and updates all import references.

npm run move-file <source> <destination>

Example:

npm run move-file src/game/Player.ts src/game/entities/Player.ts

2. Move Symbol (npm run move-symbol)

Moves a symbol from one file to another, updating imports and copying dependencies.

npm run move-symbol <sourceFile> <symbolName> <destinationFile>

Supported symbols: classes, functions, variables, interfaces, enums, type aliases

Example:

npm run move-symbol src/game/Player.ts PlayerState src/game/state/PlayerState.ts

3. Rename Symbol (npm run rename-symbol)

Renames a symbol and updates all references across the codebase.

npm run rename-symbol <file> <oldName> <newName>

Supported symbols: classes, functions, variables, interfaces, enums, type aliases

Example:

npm run rename-symbol src/game/Player.ts Player GamePlayer

Process

1. Identify the operation type based on what the user wants to do
2. Determine the arguments needed for the command
3. Run the appropriate npm script with the correct arguments
4. Verify the changes by checking that TypeScript compiles without errors

Common Patterns

• Extracting a class to its own file: Use move-symbol to move the class, which will create the destination file if needed
• Reorganizing into subdirectories: Use move-file to relocate files while keeping imports valid
• Renaming for consistency: Use rename-symbol to update names throughout the codebase