What is refactoring?
The alternative to starting again. Here is what it means, and how to choose between fixing and rebuilding.
In short
Refactoring is restructuring existing code without changing what it does for the user, in small steps that each keep the software working. The goal is code that is easier to understand and cheaper to change. It is how technical debt is paid down, and it depends on automated tests to prove that behaviour stayed the same.
Also called: Code refactoring, Refactor
Why it matters when your prototype goes to production
When an AI-built app starts to creak, the tempting answer is to rebuild it. Usually that throws away the most valuable part, the product decisions baked into the screens and flows, and resets the clock on everything that already works. Refactoring keeps what works and changes the structure underneath, one tested step at a time.
Refactor or rewrite?
| Refactor when | Rewrite when |
|---|---|
| The product works and people use it | The code cannot be tested at all in its current shape |
| Problems are local to some parts | The data model itself is wrong everywhere |
| You need to keep shipping meanwhile | The platform it runs on is being abandoned |
Most of our work sits between the two: keep the screens, rebuild the system behind them. Zulu is an example, with the client's prototype screens kept and the workspace isolation, booking engine and signed links replaced underneath.
Common questions
Does refactoring add features?
No. By definition the behaviour stays the same. It makes the next feature cheaper and safer to build.
Related terms
Read next
Sources
More on this: Production architecture & security · All glossary terms
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