Automated detection of code smells and anti-patterns to identify refactoring opportunities
Scanned 9/2/2026
Install to Claude Code
npx -y skills add a5c-ai/babysitter --skill code-smell-detector --agent claude-codeInstalls into .claude/skills of the current project.
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---
name: code-smell-detector
description: Automated detection of code smells and anti-patterns to identify refactoring opportunities
allowed-tools: ["Bash", "Read", "Write", "Grep", "Glob", "Edit"]
graph:
domains: [domain:software-engineering]
specializations: [specialization:code-migration-modernization]
skillAreas: [skill-area:code-analysis-linting, skill-area:dead-code-elimination]
roles: [role:backend-engineer, role:tech-lead]
workflows: [workflow:technical-debt-reduction]
topics: [topic:refactoring]
---
# Code Smell Detector Skill
Automated detection of code smells, anti-patterns, and design issues that indicate deeper problems in the codebase. This skill identifies refactoring opportunities and prioritizes them by impact.
## Purpose
Enable systematic detection of code smells for:
- Refactoring prioritization
- Technical debt identification
- Code quality improvement
- Migration preparation
- Design pattern violations
## Capabilities
### 1. Long Method Detection
- Identify methods exceeding line thresholds
- Analyze parameter counts
- Detect high cyclomatic complexity
- Suggest extraction candidates
### 2. Large Class Identification
- Detect classes with too many responsibilities
- Identify god classes
- Analyze class cohesion
- Suggest decomposition strategies
### 3. Feature Envy Analysis
- Find methods using other classes' data excessively
- Identify misplaced functionality
- Suggest method relocation
- Map cross-class dependencies
### 4. Primitive Obsession Detection
- Identify overuse of primitives
- Find missing value objects
- Detect stringly-typed code
- Suggest domain type extraction
### 5. Parallel Inheritance Hierarchy
- Detect mirrored class hierarchies
- Identify inheritance coupling
- Suggest hierarchy consolidation
- Map inheritance relationships
### 6. Shotgun Surgery Detection
- Identify changes requiring multiple file edits
- Detect scattered functionality
- Map change propagation patterns
- Suggest consolidation points
### 7. God Class Identification
- Detect classes doing too much
- Analyze responsibility distribution
- Calculate lack of cohesion metrics
- Suggest single responsibility refactoring
## Tool Integrations
| Tool | Purpose | Integration Method |
|------|---------|-------------------|
| SonarQube | Code smell detection | MCP Server / API |
| PMD | Java smell detection | CLI |
| IntelliJ IDEA | IDE-based analysis | CLI / Export |
| Designite | Design smell detection | CLI |
| ast-grep | Pattern-based detection | MCP Server / CLI |
| ESLint | JavaScript smell rules | CLI |
## Output Schema
```json
{
"analysisId": "string",
"timestamp": "ISO8601",
"target": {
"path": "string",
"filesAnalyzed": "number"
},
"smells": [
{
"type": "string",
"severity": "high|medium|low",
"file": "string",
"line": "number",
"element": "string",
"description": "string",
"metrics": {},
"refactoringSuggestion": "string",
"estimatedEffort": "string"
}
],
"summary": {
"totalSmells": "number",
"byType": {},
"bySeverity": {},
"hotspots": []
}
}
```
## Integration with Migration Processes
- **code-refactoring**: Primary smell identification
- **technical-debt-remediation**: Debt quantification
- **legacy-codebase-assessment**: Quality assessment
## Related Skills
- `static-code-analyzer`: Broader quality analysis
- `refactoring-assistant`: Smell remediation
- `dead-code-eliminator`: Unused code removal
## Related Agents
- `code-transformation-executor`: Executes refactorings
- `technical-debt-auditor`: Prioritizes debt remediation
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